05 July 2021
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Decarbonisation programme
BAYER has announced the European launch of its global Carbon Initiative, in which five farmers from the UK and more than 20 from across Europe will work with Bayer to investigate how to decarbonise the food value chain.
The initiative brings together farmers and food value chain players to explore future reward structures for farmers implementing new carbon reduction practices and thus contributing to the Green Deal objectives of the European Commission. The new European Carbon Programme recognises the pivotal role growers, and their land, can play in helping to create lasting, positive environmental impacts and is an integral part of Bayer’s sustainability commitments specifically aimed at reducing field greenhouse gas (GHG) emission by 30% in 2030.
“Our Carbon Initiative actively contributes to the development of carbon farming activities in Europe by working directly with farmers in their role as primary producers and involving companies throughout the food value chain. This collaboration at a food value chain level will help decarbonise the European food system in a way that works for farmers, the environment and consumers,” said Lionnel Alexandre, Carbon Business Venture Lead for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Bayer Crop Science. “The main idea is to reward growers for adopting climate-smart farming practices like using cover crops, tillage reduction, crop rotations and precision nitrogen application. These activities sequester carbon in the soil while improving soil health, resilience and productivity as well as limit emissions.”
To support these operations, Bayer will develop a digital tool which will allow farmers to claim rewards based on accurate and verified data.
