Modelling agricultural interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change

Members of the Farms4Climate (F4C) project convened for a training session focused on identifying the differences in the efficacy of regenerative agronomic practices across the F4C sites through the modelling of carbon cycle processes.

A dozen members of the Farms4Climate (F4C) project gathered on June 10 and 11, 2024, for an insightful virtual training session on Multi-Site Modelling of Carbon Cycle Processes, with the goal of understanding the differences in the efficacy of regenerative agronomic practices towards carbon farming across the various F4C sites. The event, organised by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the AIR Institute, was led by Dr. Ajit Govind, a senior climatologist and modeller at ICARDA.

The training aimed to equip the leaders of the living labs of the F4C project with tools for conducting simulations to model and understand the mechanisms of climate smartness in each context-specific agronomic intervention. By using a process-based model such as the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM), scientists can simulate the interactions between soil, plants, and the atmosphere, and therefore predict how different agricultural practices might impact carbon capture and storage on agricultural lands. This can in turn enable them to gain a deeper understanding on how these practices can adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change, enhancing their ability to make informed and effective decisions.

Additionally, the training included the validation of the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) methods used within the project. This validation is crucial to ensure that agronomic interventions are not only effective in theory but also in practice, guaranteeing measurable and verifiable results.