Climate change affects crop yields, causing them to fluctuate significantly. Agriculture is both impacted by climate change and contributes to it through the release of greenhouse gases. German Operational Group HUMUVATION decided to tackle these two challenges by focusing on agriculture’s potential to fix carbon. It will combine existing cultivation systems and adapt them to the climatic conditions in Hessen, Germany in order to guarantee humus build-up and yield stability.

Through innovative farming systems and humus building, agriculture has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fix carbon. The Operational Group HUMUVATION is testing a combination of cultivation systems and adapting them to climatic conditions in order to ensure humus formation and yield stability. These are intended to bring about positive effects on the environment, climate, and food production.

The project began in 2019 and the partners (farmers, scientists, and advisers) are carrying out practical tests on 5 farms, a total of 36 test plots over 3 years. In parallel, another test will be carried out under controlled conditions (on-station research). Using a crop rotation with wheat, maize, and broad beans, the partners will analyze the effect of different catch crop mixtures, biochar amendments, and cultivation methods on humus build-up, CO2 sequestration, and yield quantity and quality. The project is completely designed for use in practice, which is why the methods are examined both in practical test organic farms in addition to the on-station test.