SFI options to support Climate Smart Agriculture

By Megan Dunn, soils and natural resources assistant at Innovation for Agriculture 

There is a growing push from government for the farming industry to simultaneously support more wildlife and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Most agree that agriculture has a role to play in the future health of ecosystems and the planet more broadly, however the challenge of achieving this — whilst also feeding the population, running financially sustainable businesses and navigating many other challenges such as weather — is not an easy task.

Climate Smart Agriculture

There are many definitions for ‘Climate Smart Agriculture’, originally stemming from the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), however quickly being adapted to suit different actors from big industry to local farmers. Here, climate smart agriculture refers to any practices implemented with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions or adapting to challenges presented by the changing climate.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in England offers farmers payments from the government to produce food in a more environmentally conscious way. Many actions could have multiple outcomes, such as CHRW2 – ‘manage hedgerows’ – which will both store carbon, support wildlife and deliver many other benefits to both farm and eco-systems. There are few actions specifically presented as an option for storing carbon, or reducing greenhouse gas emissions, however there are many actions which could fit under the wider ‘climate smart farming’ umbrella, whilst also providing  other services.

How the SFI supports Climate Smart Agriculture

There is little government funding currently aimed directly at farmers wanting to implement climate smart agriculture, therefore it is important to make SFI work to fund as many actions in this area as possible. Where SFI really has a role, is in supporting the more routine activities that when combined can have a significant impact on a farm’s overall carbon footprint, such as adapting fertiliser usage, or increasing vegetation cover.

The primary action missing at the moment (in this context) is any funding or support to complete a carbon audit. Without an audit – even with their current limitations – it is impossible to know numerically where a farm is starting from, and how much impact actions are having on its carbon footprint. One benefit of this, however, is that carbon audits separate carbon from everything else happening on the farm – such as biodiversity conservation, business management, farmer wellbeing or pollution from other contaminants – which is where SFI offers a more open approach to implementing practices that deliver multiple benefits, and individual farmers can decide which actions align most with their ethos and vision for their business.  

SFI also funds many actions which can improve a farm’s resilience to climate change, which are as important as actions to reduce emissions (although often one action will achieve both). With weather patterns changing each year it is harder to plan, and so it is becoming more important to incorporate strategies that will allow production to continue regardless of whether it is a wet, dry, hot or cold year – at least to some extent. Adding trees to pasture, for example, which might fit into AFG 1 and 2, BFS5 or CHRW3 can provide livestock with a warmer, sheltered microclimate through winter storms, as well as shade in the summer. The trees can also support healthier pasture as the surrounding soils may hold onto more water and be shaded during droughts, and the tree roots can improve drainage for wetter weather. The trees will store some carbon and encourage healthy soils which may store additional carbon, however their main role here would be to improve animal welfare, and potentially increase the time the land can be grazed. Often strategies like this also increase the economic resilience of a farm, as they mean environmental challenges are not felt so bluntly, therefore implementing SFI options for climate resilience can also be seen as a way to safeguard the business’s future.

Integrating climate smart practices as part of farm business resilience 

There is a lot of ‘low hanging fruit’ available within SFI to begin implementing climate smart farming practices. The soils assessment and management plan (CSAM1), assessment of hedgerow condition (CHRW1), nutrient management report (CNUM1) and moorland assessment (CMOR1) all provide an opportunity to evaluate elements on farm which impact both emissions and resilience, and so can be a good entry point to see which areas are already doing well, and where there is potential room for improvement. Having these plans could also support completing a carbon audit in future. The table below highlights a few key actions which could reduce emissions or sequester carbon, however many options – such as the SOH cover crops – will contribute to healthier soils, more diverse ecosystems or improved water management, which will all contribute to a more resilient farm in a changing climate.

SFI offers a range of funded actions which could improve a farm’s carbon footprint and build in resilience to climate change. These actions can sit alongside and support farm business aims, so it is worth reviewing the options available and identifying which could be of benefit to any given farm business.

Climate smart agriculture is a topic that is increasing in attention, and as we see more frequent flooding, storms and droughts, it will remain one of the most important considerations in a resilient farm business. There is room for improvement within SFI. As options are added, more of a focus could be placed on emissions reduction and sequestration, but even as it is, there are a range of opportunities to use SFI to integrate climate smart practices into farm systems.