"Carbon farming in Kazakhstan"

Kazakhstan holds tremendous potential to act as a role model in carbon farming in the Asian Dryland Belt, a practice that brings environmental, economic, and social benefits. The study “Carbon Farming in Kazakhstan: Unlocking the Potential (2024)” explores how restoring the country’s 57 million hectares of degraded land can significantly contribute to carbon sequestration, helping to meet both national and global climate goals. With a focus on the financial benefits of carbon credits and sustainable land use, the report highlights how innovative farming practices can improve soil health, boost biodiversity, and strengthen agricultural resilience. By integrating carbon farming into the Kazakhstan Emissions Trading System (KAZ ETS), farmers may benefit from new income streams while promoting long-term environmental sustainability.

Key Highlights from the Report

Kazakhstan's Carbon Sequestration Potential

Kazakhstan possesses 57 million hectares of degraded land, where up to 45% of the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock has been lost. They are mainly located in the so-called Virgin Lands areas of Kazakhstan, which were intensively developed for crop production in the second half of the 20th century. This vast amount of degraded land presents an opportunity for significant carbon sequestration. Restoring these lands through carbon farming can contribute to the national carbon neutrality goals and global climate mitigation.

Economic and Environmental Benefits

Carbon farming not only helps in mitigating climate change but also offers economic opportunities through the potential trade of carbon credits in domestic and international markets. Furthermore, the implementation of sustainable land management (SLM) practices can enhance soil health, increase agricultural productivity, and improve water retention on degraded lands. These practices can also help restore biodiversity and generate income for farmers through carbon credit sales and improved crop yields.

Social Benefits

Beyond carbon sequestration, creating additional sources of income, and helping to restore ecosystems, carbon farming can increase resilience of rural communities to climate change, contribute to local food security, and reduce rural-urban migration by creating new employment opportunities in rural areas.

Kazakhstan's Commitment to Carbon Neutrality

Kazakhstan is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, and carbon farming plays a crucial role in this transition. The report emphasizes the need for policy support and financial incentives, such as agricultural subsidies and the integration of carbon credits into the Kazakhstan Emissions Trading System (KAZ ETS) as means to encourage widespread adoption of sustainable land management practices, boost farmer participation, and create new income opportunities while supporting climate goals.

Integration into Global Carbon Markets

The report underscores the potential of Kazakhstan’s participation in global carbon markets. By producing internationally verified carbon offset credits, Kazakhstan can generate revenue through the sale of these credits, particularly in the context of the Paris Agreement’s Article 6 mechanisms, which enable international carbon trading.

Challenges and Barriers

The report highlights several challenges, including the cost of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems for carbon credits. Additionally, limited awareness and the need for capacity building among farmers are noted as significant barriers to the widespread adoption of carbon farming practices.

Long-Term Sustainability

The report suggests that carbon farming could be part of a broader strategy for sustainable agriculture and land management in Kazakhstan. It calls for investments in research and technological innovations to improve the efficiency and scalability of carbon farming practices.