AgroNum::Roth-C - SOC increases & RNC ?

Are all increases in soil organic carbon (dSOC) creditable? Probably not.

Polyor SAS's AgroNum approach to sustainable agriculture (https://lnkd.in/exiTpR5a) calculates so-called refundable nitrogen credits (RNC ; https://lnkd.in/eHmjk4CJ). These are derived from a certain pTEC index generated by AgroNum's AI algorithm. Corresponding dSOC values were obtained by coupling a R version of the well-known Roth-C SOC turnover model (https://lnkd.in/erejk8Na) to AgroNum. These dSOC increases attributable to AgroNum are not correlated to RNC levels.

The said pTEC (progrès technique, fr.) index is relative to a control plot without the treatment being assayed as a means of increasing SOC. If this control is not sustainable, dSOC will merely render the cropping practice sustainable, as should be. On the other hand, if the control is already sustainable, pTEC will increase sustainable grain yields and crop residue (straw) carbon & nitrogen returned to the soil. dSOC increases will generate RNC only if current cropping practices are sustainable.

Put simply, AgroNum considers that sustainability is the baseline from which refundable nitrogen credits, RNCs, attributable to pTEC are calculated. This ensures additivity - i.e. no free-rides, since farmers who are already doing the right thing in terms of sustainability get more credits. Also, since RNC levels are generated annually, permanence over time is also ensured. Finally, there is no leakage since pTEC implies increasing sustaiable grain yields that don't need to be produced elsewhere less sustainably.

Polyor SAS is currently working at making these refundable N-credits, proxies of more conventional carbon-farming derived C-credits, borkerable on the VCM. The said coupling of AgroNum's AI output to Roth-C is a first step in that direction. Feel free to contact Polyor SAS if you need more information.

Yours to see, since time will tell.

#sustainableagriculture #carbonfarming #eucarbonremoval #soil #soilconservation #agriculturedurable #conservationdessols #fertilisationraisonnée