In mid-May 2022, Vlaams Hoeverund, Inagro, and Colruyt Group launched an innovative carbon farming collaboration. This partnership aimed to sequester carbon in the soil through pilot projects using advanced techniques. Two years on, the project has achieved significant milestones. For instance, Johan Pattyn in Ardooie recently completed planting a 500-tree and shrub meadow screen, exemplifying agroforestry. The team now plans to expand the project and explore using carbon farming to promote regenerative agriculture. Let’s review this remarkable initiative.
Positive Outcomes and Knowledge Sharing
Over the past two years, this initiative has fostered knowledge sharing among farmers, retailers, and researchers, focusing on sustainability and soil quality. Regular exchanges of cultivation experiences highlighted the entire value chain. Participants, like Luc Poppe from Wachtebeke, found these discussions invaluable for rethinking their approaches. Despite soil analyses not yet showing significant carbon increases, farmers like Frederik Van De Sompel observed noticeable soil rejuvenation, enhancing crop yields.
Tom Van Nieuwenhove from Inagro emphasized the practical benefits: real-world application of research techniques and direct problem-solving with farmers. This hands-on approach has generated new ideas and powerful solutions for the farming community.
Pioneering Lessons and Future Directions
The project, being novel, involved many learning experiences. Slow soil carbon content increases highlighted the need for alternative evaluation methods. Continuous adjustments improved project coordination and professionalization. Geert Hanssens from Colruyt Group acknowledged the pioneering nature of this work, noting substantial progress over the past year.
Future plans include involving missing stakeholders and aligning policy with practical opportunities. Luc Poppe pointed out the administrative challenges of pioneering, while Steven Van Hemelryck from Colruyt’s Smart Farming team emphasized the need for future benchmarks to validate current efforts. The ultimate goal remains to farm both ecologically and economically.
Agroforestry Success in Ardooie
Although it’s early to declare concrete results, the project’s various initiatives have made impressive strides. Recently, Johan Pattyn’s farm in Ardooie planted a 500-tree and shrub meadow screen, featuring willow, hazel, hornbeam, rowan, alder, buckthorn, and maple. This screen serves multiple purposes: providing forage, shelter, habitats, and capturing carbon. The selection of regionally native trees adds aesthetic value.
Similar progress is ongoing in Beernem, Webbekom, Wachtebeke, and Sleidinge, showcasing the project’s dynamic nature and widespread impact.
Carbon Farming: A Springboard to Regenerative Agriculture
Throughout the Carbon Farming project, many practices adopted by farmers were found to align with regenerative farming principles. For example, growing maize with climbing beans, which aids nitrogen fixation, is a common practice. Steven Van Hemelryck explains, “Extending the project to regenerative farming is a logical next step. This would maximize the benefits for soil quality and health, beyond just carbon storage.” Colruyt Group plans to pilot regenerative farming on its own land, convinced it will be crucial for sustainable and profitable farming in Belgium.
2022 Team and Projects
Meadow Screen at Johan Pattyn’s Farm, Ardooie
In Ardooie, Johan Pattyn completed a meadow screen with 500 trees and shrubs, an example of agroforestry. These plantings serve multiple purposes: providing forage, shelter, habitats, and capturing carbon, while also enhancing the landscape with regionally native trees.
Winter Barley at Jos Raeymaekers’ Farm, Webbekom
Jos Raeymaekers used winter barley ‘Galileo’ to cover soil over winter, improving fertility and contributing to carbon storage. This crop, cut for silage in April and then harvested for grain in summer, offers potential for enhancing soil health. However, its sensitivity to climate conditions—extreme dryness or wetness—poses a challenge for widespread use.
Diverse Crops at Luc Poppe’s Farm, Wachtebeke
From 2022 to 2024, Luc Poppe’s farm integrated barley, peas, triticale, clover, vetch, and maize with climbing beans to boost CO2 sequestration through crop diversity and legume use. This approach reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, promoting a more sustainable farming model.
Sorghum Cultivation at Claudio Saelens’ Farm, Beernem
Claudio Saelens experimented with sorghum, a climate-resilient crop, after a late grass cut. Despite a dry summer, sorghum demonstrated recovery capabilities, though with lower feed value compared to maize. The experience highlighted sorghum’s potential under certain conditions.
Wood Shavings at Sandra Patyn and Frederik Van de Sompel’s Farm, Sleidinge
Sandra Patyn and Frederik Van de Sompel used wood shavings from pollard willows as cattle bedding, later applied as farmyard manure. This practice significantly improved soil quality, leading to impressive silage maize yields and drought resistance due to enhanced moisture retention. Their project has inspired others and influenced the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to consider wood shavings as a carbon applicator.
Conclusion
The Carbon Farming project has not only advanced carbon sequestration practices but also paved the way for regenerative farming. The successful implementation of diverse, climate-resilient crops and innovative techniques like using wood shavings demonstrates the potential for more sustainable agriculture. As the project evolves, it continues to inspire and influence broader agricultural practices.
