Project Credible opens public consultation on its report on “Proximal Sensing in Carbon Farming”

Proximal sensing offers frequent, scalable, non-invasive, and cost-effective monitoring of soil organic carbon, supporting carbon farming and sustainable agriculture. However, there is an urgent need for a universally accepted understanding of the techniques involved, and to leverage proximal sensing to create a more reliable, equitable, and scalable system for soil carbon monitoring. In this framework, Project Credible has recently published the report “Proximal Sensing in Carbon Farming”, which is available here and open for public consultation.

The document was authored by Paulina Rajewicz and Jon Atherton (University of Helsinki), with contributions from members of one of the project’s Focus Groups. The study focuses on four axes to assess the impact of proximal sensing in carbon farming: its benefits and challenges, the scientific consensus, examples of practical applications, and a set of recommendations on the path forward.

Regarding the scientific consensus, the report summarizes proximal sensing technologies in carbon farming, assessing their accuracy, scalability, technological readiness, cost-effectiveness, and relevance for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV). The technologies discussed are VIS-NIR-MIR spectroscopy, gamma-ray spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), electrical conductivity sensors, and inelastic neutron scattering, as well as conventional lab analyses for comparison.

In turn, the market context is discussed in terms of practical applications, such as the case studies of AgroCares (Netherlands), YardStick PBC (USA), MyEasyFarm (France), and Cense Analytics (Finland). An overview of each company is presented, including their basic information, operations and services, carbon farming initiatives, impact on farmers and policy support, and market and outreach.

While the recommendations provided in the report are based on expert consensus and existing data on proximal sensing, further research is necessary to refine calibration techniques, cost structures, and integration with broader digital agriculture platforms, as well as to quantify the economic benefits for farmers and policymakers. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in this public consultation, which is funded by the European Union and monitored closely by the Expert Group on Carbon Removals that supports the Commission in its efforts to develop the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation.