The webinar, sponsored by Confagricoltura Emilia-Romagna and CSQA, addressed the topic of carbon credits in agriculture and biodiversity, from a technical and operational perspective. The meeting featured presentations by Davide Troncon , head of forestry schemes and biodiversity, Marco Omodei Salè , head of innovation, and Gherardo Rangoni Machiavelli , president of the Monterè fruit and vegetable cooperative.
The discussion highlighted a crucial step for agricultural businesses: the ability to measure, certify, and promote agronomic practices capable of increasing soil organic matter and improving the quality of agroecosystems.
On the forestry front, Troncon illustrated the schemes already available, starting with PEFC certification, which has surpassed one million hectares of certified forests in Italy. Forest management is based on criteria such as resource maintenance, natural regeneration, productive function, forest biodiversity, soil and water protection, and socioeconomic impacts on local communities.
A key element concerns ecosystem services, including carbon storage, forest biodiversity, and activities related to forest well-being. For these services to be recognized, they must meet three conditions: lasting effects, additionality to a reference scenario, and transparency in recording and verifying results.
The agricultural aspect was explored through the Biodiversity Friend scheme, developed with the World Biodiversity Association . The scheme evaluates ten business areas, including cropping model, soil fertility, water management, presence of hedgerows, woodlands, and refuge areas, agricultural and structural biodiversity, recovery of local varieties or breeds, energy, and environmental responsibility. Certification is awarded upon a minimum threshold of 60 points out of 100; above 80 points, the company undergoes a biennial audit.
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This is the context for the pilot project developed by Monterè , a cooperative founded in 1967 in the Modena area and specialized in the drying plum industry. Today, it has over twenty members and approximately 600 hectares spread across Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Marche, Molise, and Basilicata.
The project, carried out with CSQA, Nagor 4.0, and the National Academy of Agriculture , aimed to measure the net carbon absorption of plum orchards and codify common best practices for all members. Its strength was the cooperative's role as the lead supplier, able to coordinate the companies, standardize procedures, and centralize monitoring.
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Source: TerraèVita