Digital Technology for Carbon Farming in Africa: Paving the Way for a Sustainable Agricultural Future
December 16, 2025
In the face of global climate challenges, agriculture in Africa is emerging as a pivotal player in the transition toward sustainability, with digital technology serving as a catalyst. Orange, a leading telecommunications operator, has been actively contributing to this transformation since 2014 by deploying digital services designed to support African farmers, enhance productivity, and improve livelihoods. Their focus now extends to leveraging digital innovation for carbon farming—a promising avenue to combat climate change while fostering economic opportunities for smallholder producers across the continent.
What is Carbon Farming?
Unlike intensive agriculture practices that often degrade soil quality and reduce carbon storage, carbon farming centers on conservation agriculture methods aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions and increasing soil carbon sequestration. This regenerative agricultural approach hinges on three main pillars:
- No-till Farming: Techniques that avoid ploughing to maintain soil structure and microbial life.
- Permanent Soil Cover: Maintaining continual plant cover through intermediate crops or intercropping to prevent soil erosion.
- Crop Rotation: Diversifying crops to avoid monoculture, enhancing nutrient cycling and soil health.
An essential fourth pillar involves knowledge and training, ensuring that farmers receive the guidance and advisory support necessary to adopt and optimize these new farming methods.
The Promise of Carbon Farming for African Farmers
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Africa’s economy, accounting for more than half of employment and approximately 15% of GDP, predominantly through smallholder farming. However, this sector grapples with severe challenges including climate change impacts, soil degradation, and limited access to financial resources. The African Union’s Soil Initiative is among key efforts aimed at rehabilitating agricultural lands to ensure long-term productivity.
Carbon farming introduces an innovative solution with the potential to radically transform agricultural livelihoods. Through Payment for Environmental Services (PES), farmers adopting agroecological practices can be financially compensated via carbon markets. This incentive not only aligns climate action with rural economic development but also encourages wider adoption of sustainable techniques.
Benefits for small producers include:
- Increased operational efficiency and reduced costs.
- Access to premium markets valuing sustainable produce.
- Additional income streams from selling carbon credits.
A study by the Boston Consulting Group underscores the economic viability of carbon farming, highlighting its profitability contextually, and it is anticipated similar benefits are achievable in Africa.
Environmentally, carbon farming practices contribute to healthier soils, improved water quality, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, fostering a regenerative cycle beneficial to communities and ecosystems alike.
Understanding Carbon Offsetting and Markets
Carbon offsetting allows companies and organizations to balance out their unavoidable carbon emissions by purchasing credits representing emissions reductions made elsewhere. This system is governed by international frameworks such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, which established mechanisms including regulated and voluntary carbon markets.
- Regulated Markets: Primarily involve mandatory carbon emission quotas for heavy polluters.
- Voluntary Markets: Allow businesses and individuals to voluntarily support certified carbon offset projects.
Despite the promise, carbon credit markets have faced scrutiny due to fraud and malpractice, undermining trust. To address this, the Glasgow COP26 established a Supervisory Body tasked with ensuring transparency and legitimacy in carbon credit issuance. Further recommendations adopted at COP29 introduced centralized registries and rigorous auditing to prevent double counting and guarantee environmental integrity.
Challenges in Building a Carbon Farming Ecosystem in Africa
While carbon farming presents significant opportunities, its implementation is confronted by several hurdles:
- Complex Regulatory Landscape: The absence of tailored local regulations complicates project rollout.
- Farmer Engagement: Success depends on producers quickly recognizing productivity gains and being effectively trained in conservation techniques, backed by trusted advisory networks.
- Financial Incentives: Early-stage compensation systems are critical to motivate transition to new farming practices.
A major obstacle lies in establishing credible links between carbon regeneration projects and funding entities within voluntary carbon markets, which require trustworthy intermediaries. The reliability of carbon credits hinges on the existence of a robust Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system, capable of accurately monitoring environmental impact.
Currently, there is no universally adopted MRV methodology. The ORCaSa project is actively working to synthesize various guides and calculate methods to create a unified framework adaptable to local contexts. This effort is part of broader international cooperation through the Soil Carbon International Research Consortium, aiming to standardize MRV globally.
The Role of Technology in Overcoming Barriers
Technological innovation is essential in quantifying soil carbon—a cornerstone for validating carbon credits. Emerging digital tools, data analytics, and AI-driven solutions are being explored to enhance the accuracy, scalability, and transparency of carbon measurement in African soils.
By integrating these technologies, carbon farming initiatives can solidify their position within the carbon economy, ensuring fair compensation for farmers and fostering sustainable agricultural development.
As Orange and other stakeholders advance these initiatives, the intersection of digital technology and carbon farming holds promising potential to reshape African agriculture. The result could be a more resilient, prosperous, and environmentally responsible farming sector that contributes meaningfully to global climate goals.
For further insights and research updates, follow Orange OpenTech and stay informed about how digital innovation is empowering Africa’s agricultural future.
