An organic Western Cape farm has a new source of revenue in addition to its beef‚ chicken‚ eggs‚ pork and lamb.
Spier‚ in Stellenbosch‚ has earned R204 000 in carbon credits for reducing its carbon dioxide output by practising “regenerative farming”.
Twenty-seven farmworkers have shared half the money‚ receiving an average of R4000 each.
“The farm has acquired the credits for sequestering 6493 tons of carbon dioxide in its soil‚ which is cultivated in as natural way as possible by using regenerative farming practices like high-density grazing‚” said Spier livestock manager Angus McIntosh.
“This is a technique that involves frequent stock rotations aimed at using livestock to mimic nature by restoring carbon and nitrogen contained in livestock and poultry urine into the soil profile.”
The credits were bought by a South African bank‚ brokered by Credible Carbon‚ a business that facilitates carbon trading through credits earned for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.
Soil samples from Spier were tested over 18 months by a US laboratory. “They confirm a significant and rapid enhancement of soil organic carbon over this period‚” said Credible Carbon.
McIntosh added: “The presence of a great many animals in a confined space for a short period of time deposits enormous amounts of manure and urine on the land leading to healthy‚ vigorous pasture growth without the need of fertiliser.
“No inorganic fertilisers nor grains are used as animal feed‚ thereby disassociating the farming practice with industrial agriculture.”
This is the second tranche of carbon credits earned by the farm. Spier sustainability director Heidi Newton-King said: “This initiative adds to the farm’s sustainability and underlines that regenerative farming is not only good for the environment but makes good business sense.”
Alongside its vineyards‚ Spier has 74 hectares of pasture that supports about 300 cattle‚ 4500 laying hens‚ 1200 broiler chickens‚ pigs and sheep.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that carbon released from soil is responsible for about one third of greenhouse gas emissions. However‚ “there is major potential for increasing soil carbon through restoration of degraded soils and widespread adoption of soil conservation practices”. — TMG Digital/The Times
Farmworkers learn that where there’s muck‚ there’s money
An organic Western Cape farm has a new source of revenue in addition to its beef‚ chicken‚ eggs‚ pork and lamb.
Spier‚ in Stellenbosch‚ has earned R204 000 in carbon credits for reducing its carbon dioxide output by practising “regenerative farming”.
Twenty-seven farmworkers have shared half the money‚ receiving an average of R4000 each.
“The farm has acquired the credits for sequestering 6493 tons of carbon dioxide in its soil‚ which is cultivated in as natural way as possible by using regenerative farming practices like high-density grazing‚” said Spier livestock manager Angus McIntosh.
“This is a technique that involves frequent stock rotations aimed at using livestock to mimic nature by restoring carbon and nitrogen contained in livestock and poultry urine into the soil profile.”
The credits were bought by a South African bank‚ brokered by Credible Carbon‚ a business that facilitates carbon trading through credits earned for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.
Soil samples from Spier were tested over 18 months by a US laboratory. “They confirm a significant and rapid enhancement of soil organic carbon over this period‚” said Credible Carbon.
McIntosh added: “The presence of a great many animals in a confined space for a short period of time deposits enormous amounts of manure and urine on the land leading to healthy‚ vigorous pasture growth without the need of fertiliser.
“No inorganic fertilisers nor grains are used as animal feed‚ thereby disassociating the farming practice with industrial agriculture.”
This is the second tranche of carbon credits earned by the farm. Spier sustainability director Heidi Newton-King said: “This initiative adds to the farm’s sustainability and underlines that regenerative farming is not only good for the environment but makes good business sense.”
Alongside its vineyards‚ Spier has 74 hectares of pasture that supports about 300 cattle‚ 4500 laying hens‚ 1200 broiler chickens‚ pigs and sheep.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that carbon released from soil is responsible for about one third of greenhouse gas emissions. However‚ “there is major potential for increasing soil carbon through restoration of degraded soils and widespread adoption of soil conservation practices”. — TMG Digital/The Times
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