Remote-C: a (M)MRV technology to ensure decarbonization in the Italian agri-food system through C removals

Developing scalable and locally tailored regenerative farming solutions is essential for fostering resilient agroecosystems. The TomaTO-C living lab, funded by the ClienFarms and Farms4Climate projects, co-designs and implements Operational Protocols for Regenerative Agriculture (OPRA) while enrolling commercial farms into a carbon farming (CF) program.

In the MARVIC project, a context-specific hybrid Measuring, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification ((M)MRV) scheme, called Remote-C, has been developed to measure, monitor, and verify CRCF-aligned carbon removal certificates at farm and program level. Remote-C integrates digital sensing technologies, FMIS and IACS/LPIS data, smart soil sampling, advanced soil C modeling, and remote sensing (RS) products into an Operational Processing Chain (OPC). Remote-C addresses key challenges such as data assimilation, semi-automatic data entry, scalability and cost-accuracy of estimates SOC sampling and analysis costs, and uncertainty propagation. It performs ex-ante parcel-specific regional baselines through model ensemble of RS-based SOC retrieval and Roth-C model simulations. Initial soil sampling uses either RS-based stratified strategies or on-the-go SOC stock accounting methods based on proximal sensors, with CN analyzers and/or MIR spectrometry analysis.

During the ex-post phase, Remote-C allow monitoring of plot-level inputs for Roth-C model, including meteo ERA5 data, crop and management records (from IACS, FMIS or RS products), and RS detection of agricultural operations (e.g., crop phenology, residue presence, tillage events). These inputs inform continuous soil cover factor calculations and temporal allocation of plant C inputs to soil. Crop biomass and yields are estimated at 10-meter resolution using a Light Use Efficiency (LUE) model that integrates multiple satellite imageries and meteo data.

Currently being included in a digital platform as part of the AGRITECH flagship project, Remote-C ensures transparency of certificates, supports in-setting programs, and enables agrifood companies to meet SBTi net-zero targets. By addressing technical and economic barriers, Remote-C aims to ultimately accelerate the adoption of sustainable CF practices.