Follows SBTi guidance on achieving net zero with co-benefits for nature and people
Adoption of regenerative farming practices can reduce farm GHG emissions (e.g. reduced use of machinery due to no-till, reduced use of chemical fertilisers and changing livestock feed) and increase soil carbon storage (e.g. no-till, agroforestry and hedgerow management) (Farm Carbon Toolkit).
- Pilot project finding: Soil carbon data is currently not robust enough for selling carbon credits, so we decided not to follow the offsetting model.
- Leading organisations (SBTi, WWF, Gold Standard) are promoting Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) as best practice for organisations to take responsibility for unabated emissions, rather than solely relying on offsetting. We recommend that institutions use this mechanism for funding FCN participation, although this is not a requirement.
Increases the resilience and viability of university and college owned farmland
- Financial help to adopt regenerative practices, contributing to long-term business resilience*.
- Online Farmer Knowledge Exchange sessions to facilitate peer-to-peer learning – proven to be key in helping farmers feel more confident to change practices. (Links in resources)
- Providing valuable data on soil carbon and biodiversity to farmers.
SOS UK supports a just transition in all our work. A just transition to regenerative farming refers to an equitable shift from conventional agricultural practices to regenerative methods. The “just” aspect ensures that this transition benefits all, particularly marginalised groups like smallholder farmers, farmworkers, and rural communities, while addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges.
This element would predominantly be delivered via the farmer knowledge exchange sessions.
*As we decided not to follow the offsetting model for FCN, no payments were made to farmers during the pilot, so the impact that these could have on the adoption of regenerative practices could not be directly assessed. However, our research with Farm Carbon Toolkit highlights that finances are a significant barrier in the transition, and indicates that farm financial support will accelerate change.
“We can show that we’re building that biodiversity and soil carbon, I think is going to be fascinating” – farmer
Creates opportunities for pioneering multi-institution research into soil carbon storage
- A Standard Operating Procedure for soil sampling and testing developed alongside experts. Soil carbon levels are analysed in relation to farming practices, soil type, and aggregate size. During the pilot, Loughborough University secured additional NEIF funding for British Geological Survey to perform elemental carbon and stable isotope testing on samples.
- Opportunities for research: Data can be shared between institutions to enable collaboration on this much needed area of academic research.
- Opportunities for students: training and field trips organised. Over 50 students collected soil samples and 12 student interns were paid to test 2000+ samples at Loughborough University labs, during the pilot.
“I feel I have a better understanding soil, how it stores carbon and practices which promote soil health. The group leaders and volunteers alike were wonderful people to work with and I felt very connected to them and to the land.” – student involved in soil sampling
Enriches student experience through informal curriculum learning and access to nature
- Field work and lab work opportunities builds hard and soft skills, and provides experience of the agricultural sector. It is important to reduce barriers into the sector, as it is the least racially-diverse occupation in the UK (The RACE Report).
- Farm visits provide students with access to greenspace, associated with wellbeing benefits.
- Student engagement activities to raise awareness and inspire action around SOS UK’s Sustainable Food Guide.
- Activities to raise awareness of the links between food, farming and nature. During the pilot, we found the most effective approach was inclusion in training before farm visits, and the online quiz shared via social media and newsletters which had over 100 responses.
- Students from the pilot appreciated gaining knowledge and skills, being outdoors, and taking positive action on climate change.
“I really appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this project, as it has been just as valuable, and in some cases even more valuable, than my coursework and experiences in my current program.” – student
Evidencing nature recovery on university/college owned land and contributing to national datasets
- Surveys include: farmland birds (Big Farmland Bird Count) hedgerow species (Great British Hedgerow Survey), flying insects (Flower Insects Timed Counts), and earthworms.
These contribute to citizen science datasets for a conservation charities, helping inform nature recovery.
- Opportunities for students: bespoke training and field trips organised. 125 students participated during the pilot.
“I learned a lot of plant species, pollinator species and they were totally new to me as I came to the UK recently. I found it really interesting. POMS was awesome and it made me understand the importance of the pollinators. It made me feel like we should protect them in order to make this world beautiful.” – student involved in biodiversity monitoring