Carbon Farming: A Climate Solution Under Our Feet - NHK WORLD PRIME

There are many

solution

s we can pursue to reduce and reverse the effects of global warming, but there is one that is scalable, affordable and effective, and it is right under our

feet

. I'm in an organic place. farm in New York where people in the community can lend a hand during the growing season, let's take a look at the soil. It's dark, like rich chocolate and smells clean, fresh and earthy, that's because the soil here contains a lot of

carbon

. He is often seen as a villain in the

climate

conversation, but he may be the key to addressing the

climate

crisis today.

More and more farmers are using

carbon

in the air to enrich the soil, which in turn produces more nutritious food. Some call it regenerative agriculture, others call it carbon

farming

. It is a paradigm shift from conventional agriculture and food production The Earth's atmosphere contains 750 billion tons of carbon and there is twice as much carbon in the soil 1,500 billion tons over thousands of years Human activities such as Deforestation and

farming

have released 500 billion tons of carbon from the soil into the atmosphere Modern industrial agriculture has accelerated the pace of carbon emissions that contribute to warming our planet, but carbon farming or regenerative agriculture can change the trend by offering a way to return carbon from the air to the soil.

It is regenerative as the methods help restore the soil and revive the natural ecosystem. Efforts to adopt these methods are now spreading around the

world

. The so-called Corn Belt region of the US is a center for global agricultural production. Grant and Dawn Breitkreutz are third-generation farmers. On this land they practice regenerative agriculture. We own and operate Stoney Creek Farm here in southwest Minnesota along the Minnesota River. We operate about 1,400 acres in total. Here we put corn, soybeans and other grains. We have our sources of protein meat. We have a calf operation. Know how long we have been on the regenerative path intentionally, probably for the last 10 to 12 years in this region, many farmers depend on the overheads of industrial agriculture, such as fuel for machinery, as well as fertilizers and pesticides, they weigh heavily on their revenue and its profit margin decreases every year.

The brilliant kreutzers turn to a no-till, no-chemical method instead of relying on chemicals and human labor. Their method focuses on regenerating the soil working with nature. This is the color our floor used to be and now we are changing it. Black, this hill would have been that color, that yellow clay and now we have turned it into an asphalt song. Wow, even this amazing field looks like a chocolate cake, so you guys go out and check these fields often all the time now that it started raining. We're here all the time looking for our aggregation to see if biology is back and for biology the easiest way for us to look for biology is just earthworm activity, that's what we're looking for and obviously they're back here. .

Working, the couple have been reaping the benefits of carbon farming, obviously in 2018-19 we went through very wet years and we used to lose a lot of crops on this farm to wet areas, you know, that would drown, we didn't lose anything, our crops . it will almost always be harvestable where some of our neighbors are dealing with flat corn twisted corn that type of thing there are many benefits to healthy soil what is different about the soil at Bright Cruises Farm? Soil expert Ray Archuleta tells us about his secret. Hello my my name is ray archuleta I am a retired soil health specialist I retired with the usda nrcs what I am going to show you here is a rain simulator this basic and crude model will show us how powerful functional soils are archeletta will compare different soils taken from a natural forest, a pasture, the bright cruise farm and a conventional farm, we will see how much water each type of soil can hold and how much it lets through the bottles in front, we capture the water that does not soak the ground and runs off and the bottles in the bag they trap the water that passes or infiltrates into the soil so let's start from the forest floor we applied an inch of rain and look how much ran off very little that's excellent that shows that the forest oils are infiltrating and the soil is working now look this forest soil look at how much water infiltrated the forest oil this is exciting that shows that most of our forest oils are working now look at no-till with the cover crops the regenerative notice how how much water infiltrated the regenerative farm and look how little escaped, let's look at the conventional look how much water escaped, look how much infiltrated between these two, Bright Kreutz farm soil absorbs more water and allows less runoff a higher infiltration rate means it can carry water deep to the soil, the soil that absorbs and retains more water is more resistant against floods and droughts, let's see what happens here, you will see that the forest system that maintains its integrity is clear water rushing to fill it. the pore space look at the column it is clear but look at the conventional soil that is starting to crumble please understand that soil is life it is the glues are the byproducts of the living organisms and plants that create the glues notice that these the glues have subsided now let me move this here so you know what they are doing the shiny roots they are farming like the forest clean nothing is falling apart all those biotic glues the organic matter is still present nature doesn't do it until your tillage equipment is worms living roots life biology notice the columns here this is regenerative agriculture agriculture like nature natural soil that is not tilled what the heck is happening within this natural environment plants absorb CO2 from the air in a process called photosynthesis carbon is converted to sugars and other carbon compounds and are secreted through the roots.

Some of these compounds serve as food for microorganisms. These microorganisms break down organic substances in the soil, making it easier for plants to absorb nutrients. The secretions of these microbes, as well as the waste of small creatures like worms, work like glue to hold the soil together. or aggregate, aggregate soil has spaces that allow air and water to flow. These gaps also create room for roots to grow in this way. The more the ecosystem flourishes in the soil, the better the condition of the soil and the greater the amount of carbon in the soil. Bride Cruises says they have seen a significant change in their field since they began regenerative agriculture.

We have regenerated some of our soils and have seen the benefits of this at one point. These native grasslands have about 12 organic matter we've gotten down to two and 150 years of agriculture now, in let's say 10 to 15 years of focused regeneration on this land, we've got it back to 5 and 6. If we can stay on the right path and definitely not turning Backwards gives me hope that generations on this farm and around the

world

can survive and thrive in the future. Gabe Brown, a pioneer in regenerative agriculture, inspired the couple to pursue carbon farming. He himself runs a farm that covers 2,000 hectares in the north.

Dakota to tell people about his unique farming method, he spends much of the year giving talks about his principles. I believe that much of what we are seeing today globally is a direct result of the poor management of our ecosystems because farmers, ranchers and others have not done so. We use and apply these principles. We are now seeing desertification on a much larger scale. We have affected the water cycle. We are having these extremes in both temperature and humidity. Until we change agriculture and land management practices, that will continue. He decided to practice conventional farming, but almost went bankrupt after dangerous weather destroyed his crops for four years in a row, which was a wake-up call.

Then he began exploring regenerative agriculture. He recounts his struggles and successes in his book. From the earth to the ground. In it, he summarizes. the theory and practice of his innovative agricultural method in five principles well, let's walk a little here to learn the technical knowledge. over 2,000 people a year have visited brown's farm, many different plants, that's right, I always tell people when If you are interested in regenerative agriculture, you need to understand the processes and principles, so the first principle is the least possible amount of chemical mechanical alteration. The first principle is to limit soil disturbance.

Where in nature is tillage found? People grow their garden with rotoculture. What happens when you do it? You destroy the natural home of all that biology. The same biology that is going to cycle nutrients to help those plants grow. Tillage breaks down the soil structure that has been created by living things. Destroy the home. of the various organisms and creatures that are necessary for the growth of plants. No-till farming uses special equipment that cuts narrow furrows in the surface deep enough to plant seeds. By not plowing the soil, the underground ecosystem remains intact. It's not just the age of the tail. also chemical alteration, so synthetic fertilizer is a chemical herbicide, pesticides, fungicides, which is fighting against nature when we do it, agricultural chemicals kill not only harmful insects and germs, but also microorganisms that are beneficial to plants and it is better to minimize the use of chemical fertilizers, since they disturb the symbiotic relationship between plants and microorganisms.

Brown's second principle is to keep the soil covered with a natural armor and look here where we are, look at the armor, that residue that covers the soil that protects the soil just as our skin protects our body. not be exposed but covered with plants at all times, this protects it from erosion by wind and water and also prevents evaporation of moisture. Principle 3 is diversity, so look here at this cover crop. I actually have about 12 different species of plants growing here together. Nature aborts a monoculture does not want a brown monoculture says that diversity improves ecosystem function a single species is not enough to ensure a well-balanced soil each plant or living organism plays a role in maintaining soil structure and in creating healthy and resilient soil principle four is maintaining roots life, if we look at this as if it were a young growing plant, this plant is receiving sunlight, it is using part of those carbon compounds to grow, the rest is It moves into the roots and exudes to attract biology, so that the biology that runs its life cycle can feed it with nutrients.

If the living roots are kept in the soil throughout the year, they continue to supply carbon compounds that serve as food for the organisms. microorganisms this preserves the health of the soil principle five is to integrate animals into agriculture livestock have a lot of biology in their guts Just like we do as humans with that biology, while they graze, part of that biology will be expelled through grazing through manure through urine that fertilizes the soil and will simply take soil health to another level. As a way to get Brown to use a form of intensive grazing, he divides his pasture into sections and packs one of them with cattle to avoid overgrazing and damage to the soil.

He moves the cattle frequently creating a more suitable grazing cycle that stimulates the plants. grows and sends more carbon to the soil we can increase profitability and improve advanced soil health in just two years two years are the five principles focus on the goal of restoring the natural ecosystem of farmland the key is in the relationship between soil roots and microorganisms interact with each other in a microworld called the rhizosphere or root zone researchers are discovering its secrets is an agronomist specialized in soils his team has managed to capture the world's first visual images of what happens in the rhizosphere The team conducted an experiment with the plant from the legume family, interspersed its roots with soil and took images using a special camera. show that the carbon compounds generated by photosynthesis are gradually carried to the roots the red portions indicate greater amounts of carbon when the roots are removed the carbon secretions in the soil are clearly visible, this shows how the plant actively releases carbon into the soil to interact directly with the soil and also maintain its symbiotic interaction with microorganisms.

Shinano wants to expand his research so he can help enable sustainable agriculture that is not too reliant on chemicals, the rhizosphere is the setting forinteractions between soil roots and microorganisms. Carbon farming fully utilizes ecosystem functioning. You know, we don't have the prettiest brown and shiny cratesis have created organizations to promote and teach carbon farming. Brown's five principles are also evolving. The sixth principle we recently added was context because as we travel a lot around the world we see that farmers and ranchers do not work within the context of their environment. We need to work with nature and not against it.

There are six time-tested ecological principles. that occur anywhere in the world where there is production on the land, I believe this is the only way that agriculture will survive in a way that is truly sustainable and leaves the opportunity for future generations to continue farming and raising carbon. Carbon farming is gaining momentum around the world. The community is turning to the power of carbon farming to offset our CO2 emissions. The latest report from the UN intergovernmental panel on climate change notes that regenerative agriculture is a viable option to address the crisis. Farms large and small have begun to take action in southern Japan.

Entrepreneurial farmer is practicing an effective and low-cost carbon farming method that is also gaining popularity among home gardeners. It all started in this modest two-hectare field. On this day people gathered to learn about a simple regenerative farming method. You can practice organic farming that uses the power of microorganisms in the soil You refer to microorganisms as your friends and affectionately call them kinchan or deer bacteria Yoshida Makes your soil using things that are easily available to make natural fertilizer Ferments food scraps that people would normally throw away puts them in airtight containers and adds rice bran and salt is a similar method to making foreign Japanese pickles after about a month of fermentation mixes the food scraps into the soil yoshida covers it well with a black plastic sheet after waiting about a month the soil will be rich and ready yoshida I used to work for the local government as a farmer advisor.

He began to question conventional farming because it relies on chemicals, which is why he encouraged farmers to go organic today after resigning from his position in the prefectural government. Yoshida became a farmer, although it was not easy. He could only rent barren fields that had been abandoned for some time, but that was a blessing in disguise when growing vegetables on deserted farmland. Yoshida experienced the power of nature firsthand, which marked the beginning of his association with microorganisms. Yoshida has tried many things to find out. He figured out the best way to grow microorganisms in the soil of his fields.

Right now, he's concentrating on making soil using weeds, things farmers generally don't want. I know that filamentous fungi are microorganisms commonly known as mold. Yoshida shows us how using weeds can help stimulate their growth. Yoshida places about five kilograms of weeds per square meter of soil. Tough, fibrous weeds contain a lot of carbon, making them a good choice as food for filamentous fungi. Yoshida adds a moderate amount of moisture to promote active growth of filamentous fungi. He covers the ridge with a plastic sheet to keep it moist. The preparations took only 30 minutes in two or three months.

This will become spongy soil with this growing method created by Yoshida. this patch two months before dig a little and there are filamentous fungi that cover the surface of the roots the fungi have grown quite a bit and have extended thick white filaments called hyphae the haifi play an important role in the exchange of nutrients between plants and The filamentous fungi from the soil they feed on carbon to grow and eventually extend the hyphae into the soil. Hyphae are attracted to carbon released by plant roots. They attach to roots as they grow, supplying plants with nutrients, minerals and moisture.

The hyphae have developed a symbiotic relationship. With the plants now serving as additional roots that help the plants absorb nutrients with the help of the fungi, the crops absorb more nutrients and grow vigorously Yoshida finds all the nutrients he needs to grow crops in the soil, courtesy of the microorganisms that, According to him, they grow in this way they are more resistant against diseases and pests. Yo Yoshida travels through Japan to share his method today he is teaching a class on his farm the participants are learning to select vegetables people from all walks of life attend to his class some are interested in environmental problems and others are farmers, yes, foreigners.

Um Yoshida believes in the potential of agriculture and each of us to solve the global crisis. Soil came into the international spotlight at the Paris climate conference in 2015. The French government proposed a plan to reduce our carbon emissions. Is called. the four per thousand or four per thousand initiative: by increasing the amount of carbon stored in the earth's topsoil by 0.4 percent annually or four parts per 1,000, we can offset the increase in the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, that is the idea behind the initiative in To achieve this goal, people are looking for an ancient material called biochar.

It is a type of charcoal that is obtained by burning biomass such as wood and bamboo. It is mainly used in agriculture. This farm in central Japan actively uses biochar. It is a fruit wholesaler. He and his colleagues have been growing plums and Japanese persimmons for 15 years and have been using biochar to improve soil quality in their fields. They rent abandoned orchards and revitalize the soil using biochar. Wait about a year for the cut wood to dry before turning. becomes biochar trees take carbon from the atmosphere to grow and extend their trunk and branches converting them into biochar the absorbed carbon can be retained for 100 or even 10,000 years before the wood is completely burned.

Water is poured over it and the biochar is ready. Cyclone sizes. Burying this biochar will trap atmospheric carbon in the soil and help regenerate the soil. At the same time, biochar's ability to improve soil comes from its porous structure, which excels at both storing and draining water. Old trees are often discarded as waste. but amimir makes sure they are given a new life their fruits are very popular for their shape and taste but it is not just biochar, they remove weeds and use them to fertilize the soil, they also use compost and all kinds of other farming methods to store carbon in the soil he and his group have gained recognition for their contribution to a carbon-free society yamanashi prefecture has certified its agricultural products under its four per 1000 initiative to receive this certification they had to trap at least one ton of carbon in Every foreigner and others are finding different ways to produce biochar.

Forests account for 80 percent of the land in Yamanashi at this power plant. Wood from forest thinning is used to generate electricity. It began its operation in May 2021. They hope to harness the energy needed for local consumption by burning wood for power generation, creating biochar as a by-product. At first, biochar was nothing more than industrial waste, its disposal was extremely expensive, an additional income for the dairy farmer and the fertilizer could in turn benefit other farmers, once disposed of the biochar now creates a local circular economy, what's more a new tailwind is helping to promote it further Japan became the first country to certify biochar as a credit to offset carbon emissions as part of your credit scheme j the credit can be traded on the local and global carbon trading market farmers can use biochar to sequester or remove carbon from the atmosphere, the amount of which It can be converted into credits to sell to companies seeking to offset their emissions.

Kishimoto Mo Ayaka is a biochar researcher. She says the credit scheme will create a virtuous cycle that will benefit both farmers using biochar and farmers. foreign environment the ipcc reports that the potential amount of co2 that can be captured and stored or sequestered in the ground is estimated at more than 2.3 gigatonnes per year by 2050, as we aim for a carbon-free society, hopes are increasing for the possibilities of agriculture and Carbon farming is destined to give rise to new trends for the future. People are blazing new trails toward a greener future. The farmers we met say that our current way of life disrupts the functioning of the natural ecosystem that sustains us.

Consider this: there are almost 8 billion people in the world how we grow our food what we eat the decisions we make shape our future and the future of the planet and it all starts from scratch you