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SCS Global Services (SCS), an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, is excited to announce that Verra has approved validation and verification for a project in Africa using Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Methodology VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management. This project, a pioneering carbon farming initiative, is the first of its kind to achieve Verra certification under this new methodology in South Africa and demonstrates Africa’s increasing commitment to regenerative agriculture to fight climate change through carbon credits.
Conducted by SCS’ Greenhouse Gas Carbon Offset Verification Team, this is only the second project to have received verification approval resulting in credits since the methodology’s release in October 2020. Achieving approval under this standard is rare due to the complexity of this type of assessment.
Verra’s VM0042 methodology focuses on the quantification of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals through the implementation of improved agricultural land management (IALM) practices. Such practices may include improved fertilizer application, improved water management, reduced tillage, cover crop planting, and improved grazing management. Quantification approaches may be based on a combination of soil sampling and biogeochemical modelling.
The CNG AgriCarbon Rewards Programme Project (Verra Project 2554) was developed by Anthesis Group (formerly Climate Neutral Group) and has generated 39,207 Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) which were verified by SCS and registered under Verra’s VCS Program earlier this week.
The CNG Agricarbon Rewards Programme supports the implementation of regenerative agricultural practices on 17,581.74 hectares in South Africa. Practice changes implemented by participating farmers include improved application of organic and synthetic fertilizer, reduced tillage and/or improved residue management, and improved crop planting and harvesting across the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape provinces.
“The SCS Greenhouse Gas Carbon Offset Verification Team is proud to be a part of this groundbreaking project,” said Christie Pollet-Young, Vice President of SCS Global Services’ Climate Division. “Our involvement in this critically important initiative is exactly why we do what we do-help organizations to demonstrate their commitment to innovative practices that promote conservation efforts beneficial to their ecosystem and communities.”
Franz Rentel, Managing Director of Anthesis South Africa, says, “We are incredibly grateful to SCS Global Services for their support in verifying the AgriCarbon programme. Achieving validation and verification under Verra’s VM0042 methodology is a significant milestone, and the expertise and dedication of the SCS team were instrumental in achieving this. Their rigorous assessments and commitment to high standards have helped ensure the credibility and impact of this pioneering initiative. This achievement reinforces the potential of regenerative agriculture to drive meaningful climate action, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration in scaling sustainable farming solutions across Africa.”
SCS’ team of scientists and auditors have extensive expertise with the Verified Carbon Standard as well as soil science and agronomy. Leveraging this expertise, SCS is currently conducting validation and verification assessments for several additional VM0042 projects across three continents – Europe, North America, and Africa.