PAC Policy Research Working Paper Series
The Partnership for Agricultural Carbon (PAC) Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates ongoing analytical work, technical studies, and policy insights produced by PAC, its Expert Group, and collaborating institutions.
These papers aim to inform governments, development partners, the private sector, and researchers on emerging approaches to high-integrity agricultural carbon markets in Latin America and the Caribbean and across the Global South.
The papers represent the views of the authors and are published to encourage dialogue and knowledge sharing across the region.
About the Series
Purpose:
- Provide timely analysis to support policy design in agricultural carbon markets
- Share evidence, diagnostics, and methodologies developed under PAC
- Strengthen regional capacity and inform future investment decisions
- Foster transparency and access to public knowledge
Typical Topics Covered:
- Carbon market regulation, governance & Article 6
- MRV systems for agriculture
- Investment readiness and enabling environments
- Benefit-sharing models and smallholder inclusion
- Sustainable agricultural practices with mitigation potential
- Jurisdictional and sectoral approaches
Download Working Papers:
Scaled-up Crediting Approaches for High-Integrity Agricultural Carbon Markets
PAC Working Paper No. 2025-01 November 2025
Authors:
Daniel Ortega-Pacheco, George Hodgetts, Leticia Hardoim, Rafael Lopez-Zuluaga, Paula Chacón, Rubén Goldsztayn, Carolina Inclán, Mateo Flohr Reija, Anggela Michi, Erin Beasley, Ciniro Costa Jr.
Abstract
This paper synthesizes emerging evidence on scaled-up agricultural carbon crediting approaches—including jurisdictional, policy-based, and sectoral mechanisms—and their potential to deliver high-integrity mitigation at landscape scale. Drawing on examples from Ghana, Vietnam, Guyana, Acre (Brazil), and cross-border mechanisms in the EU, the paper identifies common enabling conditions, integrity risks, and pathways for Article 6 alignment. It highlights the role of public institutions, nested baselines, MRV systems, and benefit-sharing to strengthen credibility and ensure smallholder inclusion across agricultural carbon markets.
Keywords
Jurisdictional approaches; agricultural carbon markets; carbon crediting; integrity; climate finance.
Suggested Citation
Ortega-Pacheco, D.; Hodgetts, G.; Hardoim, L.; Lopez-Zuluaga, R.; Chacón, P.; Goldsztayn, R.; Inclán, C.; Flohr Reija, M.; Michi, A.; Beasley, E.; Costa Jr, C. (2025). Scaled-up Crediting Approaches for High-Integrity Agricultural Carbon Markets. PAC Policy Research Working Paper No. 2025-01. San José, Costa Rica: Partnership for Agricultural Carbon (PAC).
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Note to Readers
This working paper was prepared by BIOCARBON acting as the PAC Executive Secretariat and benefitted from contributions from VCMI and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). It remains a work in progress intended to inform debate and support learning across governments, experts, and stakeholders. Comments are welcomed at: rlopez@biocarbon.com.ec.