New Verra-approved tool uses AI to measure soil carbon in agricultural projects

The solution developed by Perennial will be used to quantify soil carbon in agricultural land management projects selling carbon credits through Verra.

Agricultural management and forestry projects improving soil quality to store more CO2 from the atmosphere are gaining popularity as companies seek to reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural commodities. But measuring the quantity of carbon in soil is a difficult exercise, making the sale of carbon credits from these activities prone to greenwashing claims.

VT0014 uses digital soil mapping to reduce the soil sampling burden, enabling soil carbon quantification even in remote or data-scarce areas, and is approved for use in Verra’s agricultural land management methodology – one of which is currently being reviewed for Core Carbon Principles eligibility.

Several carbon market players have already committed to implementing this tool, including Bayer, rTek, Anthesis, and Cool Path.

Benefits of digital soil mapping

The tool developed by measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification (MMRV) firm Perennial uses soil samples, machine learning and biogeochemically-informed predictors to quantify soil organic carbon at scale. Its peer-reviewed AI model, ATLAS-SOC, has now integrated over 350,000 soil samples, and is trained to fill in the gaps between sample points, producing hundreds to thousands of times more soil carbon data points than sampling alone. This reduces costs and minimises farmer disruptions, while improving accuracy.

Perennial says the tool can therefore improve projects' return on investment and expand access to carbon markets, regenerative project financing, and sustainability programmes in regions that have historically been excluded from participation.

“Digital soil mapping is critical to reducing the costs associated with the implementation and scaling up of Agricultural Land Management projects,” said Mandy Rambharos, chief executive officer of Verra. “We’re excited to see this scalable solution come to life, as it will meaningfully strengthen access to soil carbon markets for farmers and ranchers worldwide, while ensuring the highest standards of integrity and transparency for project developers and corporate buyers alike.”

Verra agricultural land management methodologies

VT0014 was built over four years of scientific collaboration with input from more than 30 science and industry experts, and is set to enable more agricultural management projects to register in Verra’s carbon crediting programme, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

Two methodologies in particular are set to use it: VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management (under review by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market-s high-integrity CCP label), and VM0032 Methodology for the Adoption of Sustainable Grasslands through Adjustment of Fire and Grazing (which has not been submitted for CCP approval).

“This tool is a quantum leap forward in soil quantification. Not only does it lower barriers for MMRV in areas where projects are already underway, it unlocks new regions, new carbon projects and new opportunities for climate finance,” added Perennial co-founder and Chief Product Officer, David Schurman. “We’re already starting to see this unfold with partners like rTek, a project developer regenerating 500,000 hectares of degraded grasslands in Kazakhstan who can now access carbon markets under Verra’s VM0032 methodology.”