# PdR AgriCarbon The **AgriCarbon Reference Practice** is a fundamental tool that provides guidelines to all parties proposing and developing afforestation and reforestation projects, defining precise criteria and guidance so that Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) can carry out their reporting and certification activities. Specifically: 1. **Guide for Generating Carbon Credits:** The document provides project-level guidance for creating activities aimed at generating GHG emission reductions and removal increases, and specifies the actions to be taken to certify such activities and generate carbon credits. The TCR methodology, validated by RINA, provides a robust framework for the quantification, monitoring and reporting of GHGs in agriculture. 2. **Scope of Application for Afforestation and Reforestation:** * The guide specifically addresses projects that include soil management, such as **arboreal crop cultivation and agroforestry**, and that generate net GHG removals through the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere (for example, through the integration of hedgerows and trees in cultivated fields). * For afforestation and reforestation activities, the **CDM AR-AMS0007 v3.1** methodology of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the UNFCCC is adopted. * Specific requirements are provided, such as the obligation to use exclusively **non-invasive species (preferably native)** and the verification of the absence of intentional deforestation in the five years prior to the start of the project. 3. **Guidelines and Directives for GHG Project Proponents:** * **Project Planning:** Includes requirements for planning, identification and selection of relevant GHG sources, sinks and reservoirs (SSR) for the baseline and project. * **Baseline Measurement (Reference Scenario):** Describes the systematic actions for establishing the "business-as-usual" (BAU) scenario, collecting detailed historical data on conventional agricultural practices. For a conservative approach, CO2 emissions from soil organic carbon (SOC) losses in baseline cultivated land are often considered equal to zero. * **Annual Project Measurement:** Outlines how to calculate the net carbon removal benefit (CRbaseline – CRtotal – GHGincrease), quantifying the CO2 removals generated by project activities as the difference between the project scenario and the standardised baseline. Includes measurements of **Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)**, living biomass (above-ground and below-ground) and harvested wood products. * **Validation Requirements (ex-ante):** Proponents must ensure **project design, site and land eligibility, additionality of climate benefits, permanence of benefits (with a minimum credit buffer of 10%), risk assessment, absence of intentional deforestation and invasive species, data quality and compliance with standards**. They must also clearly define ownership of credits. * **Monitoring and Reporting Responsibilities:** The proponent is responsible for compiling and submitting annual reports, which include data on net carbon removals, and for data quality management (QA/QC). 4. **Guide for Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) in Report Preparation:** * **VVB Role:** Validation and Verification Bodies (VVB) are independent and competent bodies that guarantee the integrity and credibility of carbon credits. Validation (ex-ante) assesses the reasonableness of assumptions, boundaries and methods before project implementation, while verification (ex-post) assesses statements with historical data and information after implementation. * **Validation Process:** During validation, the VVB examines the project design, reference scenario, additionality, monitoring plan, permanence and compliance with standards. The third-party validator provides detailed reports outlining the results of the assessments, included in the Project Design Document (PDD). * **Verification Process:** Verification takes place periodically after project implementation. The VVB assesses the actual GHG reductions/removals by comparing project results with the baseline, conducts on-site inspections, reviews monitoring data (SOC measurements required at least every five years), verifies data quality management and confirms permanence. The third-party verifier provides detailed verification reports, including findings, discrepancies and recommendations, published in the public registry. * **Report Requirements:** The practice clearly outlines what must be included in validation and verification reports, ensuring transparency, traceability, accuracy, comparability, completeness and consistency. Summarised data and results must be made available on the project website and in the public registry. * **Verification Execution Methods:** Verifications must be carried out annually, alternating between on-site and remote verifications, with the first on-site verification followed by a remote one the following year. 5. **Regulatory and Scientific References:** The AgriCarbon Practice aligns with the IPCC Guidelines, ISO standards (UNI EN ISO 14064-2, ISO 14065, ISO 14067, UNI EN ISO 14066, ISO 18400-104, UNI EN ISO/IEC 17025), specific methodologies such as Verra VM0042 and CDM AR-AMS0007, and European and national frameworks (LIFE C-Farms, EU Regulation 2018/848). 6. **Fundamental Principles:** The practice is founded on key principles such as **accuracy, consistency, completeness, conservativeness and transparency**, essential for the credibility of the carbon credits generated. Transparency is further strengthened by the use of blockchain technology for the notarisation of carbon credits, guaranteeing immutability and verifiability of transactions and a public registry. In summary, the AgriCarbon Practice is a **detailed operational manual** that not only establishes standards for GHG reduction and removal projects in agriculture, including afforestation and reforestation, but also provides explicit instructions and checklists for their implementation, assessment and reporting, both for proponents and control bodies. {% file src="/files/S6X5nkZxXLUxwV2DJ759" %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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