Certifying benefits generated by agriculture under the SD VISta Certification Standard: A value-add for carbon credits
What is SD VISta?
The Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) is the premier standard for certifying the sustainable development benefits of social and environmental projects. The types of benefits that may be certified range from gender equity to economic development, affordable clean energy, and wildlife restoration. SD VISta uses, third-party auditors to verify that the benefits the project claims are accurate and that the project advances the global Sustainable Development Goals set forth by the United Nations*
The program certifies all benefits to people and their prosperity, ecosystems, and natural capital. It encourages those benefits to be aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Validation & Verification
Agoro Carbon is in the validation process to register under Verra managed, SD VISta. Once registered the project will be able to undergo periodic verification to certify the benefits created from regenerative agriculture. By including an SD VISta label on carbon credits, Agoro Carbon highlights exceptional contributions towards sustainable development goals.
Agoro Carbon’s Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals
Through successful practice implementation, farmers and ranchers enrolled with Agoro Carbon will generate benefits directly tied to their communities and ecosystem health. These practices include:
- Cover cropping and improved grazing to increase soil organic carbon stocks and avian diversity and abundance
- Disseminating knowledge through agronomic advice, soil science, and shared information on carbon markets.
“Our cropland and pastureland projects offer a variety of benefits that contribute to a number of sustainable development goals. Farmers and ranchers are deeply committed to good land stewardship, and these co-benefits will only add to a healthier ecosystem and sustainable future.” -Christopher Chapman, Interim Head of Carbon
Learn more about nature-based ag carbon credits here. Learn more about how Agoro Carbon’s alignment with the UN’s Sustainability Goals here.
Added Value to Carbon Credit Buyers
There has been an increasing number of carbon credit buyers who want to buy only credits originating from projects that adhere to additional safeguards that ensure that emission reductions or removals don’t come at the cost of local communities or the environment. An SD VISta label on credits shows buyers that the project developer went above and beyond the standard rules and requirements and that their purchase is now not only offsetting emissions but contributing to good land stewardship. Buyers will pay a premium for SD VISta project credits due to the rigorous standards and verified sustainable development benefits associated with these credits.
* https://verra.org/programs/sd-verified-impact-standard/sd-program-details/
