Scaling carbon farming to boost investment and support ecosystems

Connecting smallholder farmers to carbon markets can potentially create new income opportunities for them. But realising this potential requires financial models that work for both investors and farmers. Taking the example of Kenya, a new Rural 21 article summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of various carbon farming projects.

Kenya has become an important testing ground for such initiatives. The country hosts several carbon farming projects working with thousands of smallholder farmers across different regions. To better understand how these projects operate, our study analysed twelve carbon farming projects, examining their financial structures and governance arrangements. The aim was to identify the different ways projects are funded and assess how these funding models affect their profitability and benefits for participating farmers.

Rural 21: Scaling carbon farming to boost investment and support ecosystems

Full study: Funding models for scaling soil health: Assessing the economic viability and inclusiveness of carbon farming projects in Kenya. ScienceDirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107996