Agriculture is an essential link on the road to carbon neutrality. The objective has been set for 2050, it is even enshrined in law, and agriculture can make a decisive contribution. Four of the sector's players provide an insight into the situation before the opening of the Salon de l'Agriculture (26 February-6 March).
Audrey Bourolleau - Founder of Hectar
From field to plate
Achieving carbon neutrality will necessarily require the construction of new economic models throughout the chain:this is the conviction we hold at Hectar. The link most affected by this transition is the upstream link, the farms. However, the sale of carbon credits will not cover the costs of the transition to regenerative practices, which is what we have clearly modelled. It is one of the levers, but not the only one. And since that won't be enough, farmers must also add value to their products because they are regenerative, because they have taken care of the soil and therefore have a market value, or they can create value through other complementary levers: green energy, processing.
Quentin Sannié - Founder and President of Genesis
A global contribution to the environment
Agriculture, a polluting activity, is part of the solution towards carbon neutrality. Through the necessary change in practices, it can become a powerful lever for improving the carbon footprint. Other fundamental aspects must be taken into account for carbon credit to develop: biodiversity, water resources, etc. Agriculture must see itself as a global contributor to the environment because it can be, in the service of environmental neutrality as a whole. In our soil health rating activity at Genesis, our aim is to provide a measure of the effect of agricultural practices: a soil has the memory of practices, with an impact on carbon, biodiversity and pollution."
Matthieu Archambeaud - Agronomist, President of Icosystème
Redeveloping organic fertility
Agriculture, along with forestry, is the only activity capable of storing large quantities of carbon. Given this evidence, the organic state of soils has deteriorated after decades of green revolution. Organic fertility must be redeveloped to contribute to carbon neutrality. Rectifying the situation will take time: it takes between 10 and 15 years to regain the storage of 20 tons of carbon in the soil through virtuous systems. At Icosystème, we help farmers in their agro-ecological transition, but also players in the agri-food industry: cooperatives, traders and manufacturers. Because the farmer cannot change if the entire value chain does not integrate the necessary transformation of agricultural systems.
Chuck de Liedekerke - Co-founder and CEO, Soil Capital
Supporting farmers
There are three issues to consider. Firstly, the carbon price will increase to reflect its real value. Secondly, the sectors will see the opportunity to bring low-carbon, neutral or negative products onto the market and to pay, in addition to the carbon certificate, a premium for cultivation. Lastly, we note that farmers who store carbon do not necessarily lose productivity and lower their production costs, provided of course that they conduct an intelligent transition strategy that offers agronomic opportunities. At Soil Capital, we support farmers in regenerating as many hectares as possible from technological solutions, in order to be remunerated for it but also to understand the levers for changing practices.
