Lithuanian carbon farming programme lands first corporate buyers, signals demand for agricultural carbon credits

A Lithuanian carbon farming programme has secured its first corporate buyers, marking a step forward for agricultural carbon credits in Eastern Europe. The programme pays farmers to adopt practices that store carbon in soil, such as reduced tillage and cover cropping. Corporate buyers purchase the resulting carbon credits to offset their emissions. This deal shows that demand for soil carbon credits is emerging outside of voluntary carbon markets in Western Europe and North America. It also tests whether carbon farming can scale in a region where farms are smaller and data on soil carbon sequestration is still limited. For carbon market watchers, the key details to track are the price per tonne of CO2, verification methods, and whether the buyers are using these credits for voluntary offsets or compliance purposes. The programme's success could influence similar initiatives in neighboring Baltic and Central European countries.