Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking (BCB) has partnered with carbon project developer Orizon Agriculture to launch South Africa’s first bank-backed regenerative agriculture carbon credit programme.
The initiative, unveiled during Grain SA’s NAMPO Harvest Day in the Free State, aims to help commercial farmers convert sustainable land-management practices into an additional source of income without taking on complex administrative burdens.
The collaboration introduces eligible Standard Bank clients to Orizon’s CarbonCrop Rewards Programme. The platform measures, verifies, and registers improvements in soil organic carbon and reductions in on-farm emissions. These verified environmental outcomes are subsequently issued as carbon credits—each representing one tonne of greenhouse gas reduced or removed from the atmosphere—which can be sold into global carbon markets.
The programme focuses on regenerative practices that many producers already employ to boost yield resilience, such as:
- Reduced tillage and direct seeding.
- The implementation of multi-species cover cropping.
- Optimised, high-density grazing management.
- Reduced synthetic fertiliser intensity.
While interest in environmental commodities has grown across the African continent, data collection and stringent international auditing standards have historically deterred individual farmers. Under the terms of the partnership, Orizon will manage the entire technical lifecycle of the project, including satellite and soil measurement, independent verification, and formal registration under recognised international carbon standards.
“Trust and simplicity are essential for farmer participation in carbon markets,” said Michael Lilje, CEO and Founder of Orizon Agriculture. “There is clear interest from farmers, but also understandable caution. Working with Standard Bank allows farmers to engage through a trusted relationship, while we ensure the integrity of the carbon credits generated.”
The initial phase of the roll-out will focus on South African commercial farmers. Standard Bank relationship managers will lead the first-year onboarding phase, focusing on building market literacy and confidence within the sector before scaling the framework.
Bill Blackie, Chief Executive of Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank Group, emphasised that the transaction is designed to align economic survival with climate adaptation. “Farmers are increasingly being challenged to balance productivity, profitability and sustainability,” Blackie stated. “This partnership is about supporting our agricultural clients navigate that shift in a practical way, by enabling access to carbon markets that are linked to real farming practices.”
