South African farmers earn first Verra carbon credits from regenerative soil practices

South African farmers are starting to earn income from soil carbon credits under Verra's program. AgriCarbon, run by Anthesus, issued its first credits in March 2025 from 29 farms covering 17,582 hectares, with 39,207 tonnes of CO2 sequestered over three years. The program has since enrolled about 200,000 hectares and expects a second, larger payout by Q3 2027. The economics are shifting. South Africa's carbon tax rose to R308 per tonne in January 2026, and emitters can now use credits to cover up to 15% of their tax bill, up from 10%. AgriCarbon is also collecting more farm data, with over 300,000 data points in the second monitoring period, which it says could eventually support better loan terms and insurance premiums for regenerative farmers.