The aim of carbon farming is to sequester more carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as part of Australia’s response to climate change.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides this information to support land manager decisions about investing in carbon farming.
Carbon farming can have valuable results
Carbon farming is the process of managing soil, vegetation, water and animals to increase carbon storage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The main gases of interest to agriculture are carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4).
Agriculture is a significant emitter of greenhouse gases and also has a significant opportunity to reduce emissions and sequester carbon. We have described the carbon farming management options below for farm managers wanting to make decisions about adopting carbon farming technologies and participating in carbon farming funding schemes.
Soil
Carbon farming: applying biochar to increase soil organic carbon
Carbon farming: claying as a method of increasing soil carbon content
Carbon farming: green and brown manuring
Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils
Liming to increase carbon sequestration
Composting to avoid methane production
Soil organic carbon and carbon sequestration
Livestock
Managing manure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Cattle
Reducing methane emissions from cattle using feed additives (ERF approved)
Cattle breeding for lower greenhouse gas emissions
Managing pastures and stocking rates to reduce methane emissions from cattle
Sheep
Sheep genetics in methane reduction
Managing sheep pastures to reduce methane production
Nutrition and feed additives to reduce methane emissions
Fuels and bioenergy
Liquid bio-fuel as a replacement for fossil fuel
Biomass and bioenergy
Plantings and regeneration
Permanent environmental plantings to earn carbon credits
HIR Carbon Farming on Pastoral Lease Lands
Regional natural resource management groups
Northern Agricultural Catchments Council
Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management
South West Catchments Council
South Coast Natural Resource Management
Rangelands NRM Western Australia