Latin American farmers are capturing more carbon while growing more food

Bayer's PRO Carbono programme helps Latin American farmers transition to regenerative, low-carbon agriculture. The programme combines robust science, data-driven tools and technical expertise to increase agricultural productivity, while enhancing soil carbon sequestration and reducing emissions, Marina Menin, Bayer's Head of Carbon Venture in Latin America, explains.

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At Bayer, we have always believed that agriculture can - and must - play a pivotal role in addressing the global climate crisis. This conviction inspired the creation of PRO Carbono in 2020, Bayer's pioneering carbon programme in Latin America designed to help farmers transition to regenerative, low-carbon agriculture while maintaining productivity and profitability.

PRO Carbono is a large-scale initiative that supports farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural practices that increase soil carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve ecosystem resilience. It combines robust scientific methodologies, data-driven tools and scalable models to build economically viable pathways to sustainability and extend impact beyond the farm gate. The programme was created in close partnership with Embrapa -the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation - and a broad network of scientists, certifiers, financial institutions, food traders and farmers.

From the start, PRO Carbono set a high ambition and scale. It became the largest carbon programme in Brazilian agriculture, reaching 16 states and 671 municipalities in Brazil, and 10 provinces in Argentina, with a total of approximately 220,000 hectares of soy, corn and cotton participating in the programme. To date, more than 2,000 producers have joined the initiative, gaining access to detailed soil diagnostics, technical support and tailored management plans to boost productivity and enhance soil carbon sequestration - the process of capturing carbon in soil to help improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gases.

The largest database on regenerative agriculture in Brazil and Argentina

The programme created the largest database on regenerative agriculture in Brazil and Argentina, enabling science-based decisions and guiding producers, policymakers and industries alike toward measurable decarbonisation.

Over its first four years, PRO Carbano delivered tangible, data-driven results that demonstrate the potential of regenerative agriculture. Farmers who adopted regenerative agricultural practices saw, on average, an 11% annual increase in productivity and a 16% increase in carbon sequestration in participating areas.

Farmers with a high level of adoption removed an average of 928 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kgCO2eq) per hectare per year, while those with lower adoption achieved 355 kgCO2eq per hectare per year - meaning that each hectare managed regeneratively under PRO Carbono offsets roughly as much carbon as a small car emits in a year. Scaled across the programme's 220,000 hectares, this represents hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2 avoided or captured annually - a tangible and scalable contribution to agricultural decarbonisation.

In parallel, the programme also incentivised the preservation of native vegetation and the protection of local biodiversity, further strengthening ecosystem services and resilience in agricultural landscapes.

Scientific rigor at the heart of PRO Carbono

The success of PRO Carbono rests on a collaborative ecosystem of 19 research institutions and 47 experts, as well as strategic partnerships with agronomic input suppliers, financial organisations and food industry leaders.

Among its most notable innovations are tools like Conecta PRO Carbono, Bayer's proprietary measurement, reporting and verification system that centralises farm and soil data to monitor, verify and guide regenerative agriculture and ensure alignment with international standards.

The programme also developed tools such as PRO Carbon-Soil (PROCS) - a predictive tool that enables more accurate estimation of soil organic carbon change - and a carbon footprint calculator, both created in partnership with Embrapa and based on globally recognised methodologies such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and ISO standards.

Innovations such as these deliver huge benefits for farmers and corporations alike. They reduce operational costs, improve forecasting accuracy and deliver science-based insights that support sustainability strategies. By capturing the specific soil conditions and farming practices of our region, PRO Carbono enabled far more accurate and context-relevant carbon calculations, strengthening the reliability of the entire carbon ecosystem.

Scaling climate action across Latin American agriculture

For farmers, PRO Carbono now offers a full suite of tools, technical expertise and agronomic support to accelerate the transition to regenerative practices. For companies and industries, it delivers integrated, science-based solutions that connect the entire agricultural value chain, support decarbonisation goals, and ensure transparent and credible climate action. What began as a groundbreaking carbon programme has become a strategic platform that unites science, technology and on-the-ground presence to scale regenerative agriculture across Latin America. We are looking forward to continuing to shape a future in which agriculture leads global climate solutions and builds a more productive, resilient and sustainable food system for generations to come.

2025 is a critical year for the Paris Agreement. Ten years on, we need to rethink how we frame the challenge. And seeing challenges differently is what business and we are all about.

ICC is committed to securing what businesses need at the upcoming climate negotiations, COP30, in Belém, Brazil. Learn more about our Opportunity of a Lifetime climate campaign and how to get involved.

*Disclaimer: The content of this article may not reflect the official views of the International Chamber of Commerce. The opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and other contributors.