Mtech has announced its latest development in carbon footprint calculations in the food chain with the launch of a new tool that calculates soil carbon sequestration. It’s available to farmers in Finland using Wisu crop management software.
The new tool assesses carbon footprint and carbon sequestration at field level and provides an annual calculation report when crop yields are known. The new calculation has been developed in cooperation with Biocode, a daughter company to Mtech Digital Solutions, that specialises in online services for lifecycle assessments of food production. The calculation methods are based on guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories developed by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
“We’re proud to be among the pioneers in this important field,” the director of farm management software at Mtech, Mikko Hakojärvi, said. “Carbon footprint calculation and the assessment of soil carbon sequestration in the food chain are becoming more and more important for food companies and farmers. We’re happy to be at the forefront of providing solutions to our customers.
“The farmers who have tested and piloted the new tool have shown great interest in calculating the change in carbon sequestration in the soil, as it helps to understand the effects of cultivation history and techniques on the amount of organic matter in the soil,” he added. “Increasing carbon sequestration also sees future earning opportunities on farms. The calculation provides a good basis for developing cultivation in a climate-friendly and environmentally responsible direction together.”
Carbon footprint calculation in the extended food chain, from farm to fork, is expected to become increasingly common and important in the near future. At a time when the prices of agricultural and industrial inputs are rising, all means of producing food with reducing consumption of natural resources are extremely valuable, if only in the face of sharp increases in the prices of fuels, electricity and fertilisers as a result of global crises.
