Greenchar Leads Certified Zero-Carbon Agriculture in China — Backed by Government & Global Climate Experts

jaryl3
Jun 14
4 min read

Updated: Jun 17

Turning Rural Agriculture into a Climate Solution

Greenchar Climate Solutions is proud to be the official carbon accounting and certification partner of the Yangtze Delta Biochar-Based Zero-Carbon Countryside Collaborative Initiative ("长三角炭基健康零碳田园”联网协作计划" )— a nationally recognized program that is redefining the future of sustainable agriculture in China, with first pilots launched in Nanjing Lishui , and Zhejiang Jinhua.

Led by key government bodies including the Ministry of Agriculture-affiliated CSFA, supported by Nanjing Agricultural University, and joined by international scientists and environmental institutions, the initiative brings together local governments, research institutes, and global climate experts to transform traditional rice farming into a net-negative carbon practice.

“This is not just a demonstration — it’s a national strategy for achieving China’s 2060 carbon neutrality goal, starting from the soil beneath our feet.”

Greenchar Climate Solutions Participates in Fieldwork at the Nanjing Zhishan Demonstration Base: Farmers transplant rice seedlings in paddies enriched with biochar-based organic fertilizer. This site serves as a key pilot under the 2025 Yangtze River Delta Zero-Carbon Countryside Initiative, demonstrating how regenerative agriculture and carbon finance can work hand in hand to improve soil health, reduce emissions, and unlock new value for rural communities. — **Fieldwork at the Nanjing Zhishan Demonstration Base:** Farmers transplant rice seedlings in paddies enriched with biochar-based organic fertilizer. This site serves as a key pilot under the 2025 Yangtze River Delta Zero-Carbon Countryside Initiative, demonstrating how regenerative agriculture and carbon finance can work hand in hand to improve soil health, reduce emissions, and unlock new value for rural communities.

Greenchar’s Role in the Collaboration

As a core international technical partner, Greenchar is responsible for:

Carbon footprint accounting for rice cultivation and soil carbon sequestration
Carbon credit certification assistance
DMRV (Digital Monitoring, Reporting & Verification) technology provision for traceable credit issuance
Market access and offtake support for certified biochar and carbon-neutral agricultural products
Third-party verification coordination with institutions such as Shanghai MEANKON and Nanjing Guohuan
Public engagement and policy support through product standard promotion and consumer awareness campaigns

Experts, researchers, and local officials gather at the Jinhua Zero-Carbon Countryside Demonstration Base. The delegation — including representatives from leading universities, international climate organizations, and Greenchar Climate Solutions — visited the site to mark a key milestone in China’s transition toward carbon-negative agriculture and the integration of biochar into scalable regenerative farming practices. China Agricultural University , Dr. Eric Lichtfouse, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology , Professor Stephen Joseph , Dr. Jon Samseth , Dr. Pan Genxing, Jinhua Boiler Company, Chloe Hung from Greenchar Climate Solutions — **Experts, researchers, and local officials gather at the Jinhua Zero-Carbon Countryside Demonstration Base.** The delegation — including representatives from leading universities, international climate organizations, and Greenchar Climate Solutions — visited the site to mark a key milestone in China’s transition toward carbon-negative agriculture and the integration of biochar into scalable regenerative farming practices.

Jinhua: Ground Zero for Climate-Smart Rice Farming

On June 2, 2025, Greenchar joined a delegation of international experts — including Dr. Stephen Joseph, Dr. Jon Samseth (Chair of SCOPE), and leading soil scientists — in Jinhua, Zhejiang, for a field tour and strategy roundtable.

Together, we visited:

The Jinhua 667-hectare National Demonstration Base (formerly referred to as “10,000 mu”) is one of the key pilot sites for implementing biochar-based zero-carbon rice cultivation.
The “Zero-Carbon Countryside” pilot fields now applying biochar-based organic fertilizers
Local facilities using biomass and pig manure to produce carbon-rich organic inputs

Project signboard showing Greenchar Climate Solutions and partners on site

“Based on current research, applying approximately 4,080 kg of biochar-based organic fertilizer per hectare can offset the carbon emissions associated with producing 5,250 kg of rice, effectively enabling a net-zero carbon footprint under typical field conditions.”

-Professor Pan Genxing , Nanjing Agricultural University

Why It Matters

Turning Agricultural Waste into Carbon and Revenue

This project transforms straw, husks, and manure into high-value biochar and carbon-rich fertilizers, delivering environmental and economic benefits:

Improves soil health by enhancing structure, water retention, and nutrient availability
Cuts methane and nitrous oxide emissions by 15–25%, mitigating major agricultural GHGs
Increases rice yield and nutritional content, including protein and micronutrients
Generates certified carbon credits, creating new revenue streams for farmers and cooperatives

Greenchar Climate Solutions at launch of Jinhua Zhejiang's first zero carbon paddy biochar pilot project — Taken at the Jinhua Zero-Carbon Countryside Demonstration Site

How Net-Zero Rice Works

Each hectare of land (~15 mu or 10,000 m²):

Produces approximately 5,250 kg of rice, which generates an estimated 5,250 kg CO₂e emissions
Can be offset by applying either:
✅ 4,080 kg of biochar-based organic fertilizer (at 35% carbon content), or
✅ 3,180 kg of straw biochar (at 45% carbon content)

These applications allow rice fields to reach net-zero emissions, and in some cases, even carbon-negative production over a 3–5 year cycle.

Professor Pan Genxing speaks with China National Television on the impact of biochar in agriculture, highlighting its effectiveness in improving soil structure, enhancing fertility, and enabling long-term carbon sequestration. His remarks underscore biochar’s growing role in advancing China’s low-carbon, regenerative farming practices. Pangenxing from Nanjing Agricultural University interviewed by NBS China — **Professor Pan Genxing speaks with China National Television on the impact of biochar in agriculture**, highlighting its effectiveness in improving soil structure, enhancing fertility, and enabling long-term carbon sequestration. His remarks underscore biochar’s growing role in advancing China’s low-carbon, regenerative farming practices.

Government Support + Global Recognition

This initiative is backed by:

🇨🇳 CSFA (China State Farm Agribusiness Alliance)
🇨🇳 Nanjing Agricultural University
🇸🇬 Greenchar Climate Solutions Singapore
🇳🇴 SCOPE & Norwegian Bioeconomy Institute
🏛️ Local governments of Jinhua, Nanjing, and key townships

Recognized experts from UNESCO, UNFCCC, and major climate policy bodies are supporting this model as a scalable blueprint for agricultural carbon neutrality in Asia and beyond.

Greenchar Climate Solutions At Factory Visit, China

Greenchar Climate Solutions with global biochar experts

Greenchar climate solutions leading biochar use and zero carbon agriculture in China

Greenchar will continue to lead carbon certification, international market access, and technical verification — ensuring that farmers and cooperatives benefit directly from carbon finance and green branding. We are actively planning to scale this model across more than 200,000 hectares of farmland throughout the Yangtze River Delta.