Carbon Farming

Carbon Farming in Pastoral Rangelands

The Outback Communities Authority has commissioned a new report and a series of practical pastoral-based Fact Sheets to help explore the benefits, barriers, and business implications of undertaking Human Induced Regeneration carbon projects in the South Australian pastoral zone.

The Fact Sheets present whole-of-business case studies of pastoral enterprises– to demonstrate potential financial and economic impacts of HIR carbon projects on relevant pastoral businesses. They cover the main livestock enterprises in the pastoral area of South Australia, namely:

• Beef cattle
• Meat sheep 
• Merino wool sheep

A more general fact sheet was also developed and discusses more broadly what carbon farming is – but also the sort of questions and issues pastoralists should consider, if considering doing a carbon project on their lease.

The SA Pastoral Rangelands: Carbon Potential Report provides a brief perspective on the global shift to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and how the finance sector, including banks, are responding to climate change by seeking to reduce their risk exposure. It also looks more closely at the carbon market as it operates in the Australian rangelands today and provides a detailed explanation of land systems and specific enterprise types in the SA rangelands that have opportunities in the carbon economy.

The report shows the exciting potential for HIR carbon farming projects to provide income diversification and increased revenue opportunities for pastoral businesses across the South Australian pastoral zone.