Scaling Sustainable Agriculture Through Precision Irrigation
As of early 2025, Virridy and Orbia Netafim are implementing a carbon credit program in Turkey that helps farmers upgrade to precision irrigation, improving water efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while increasing crop productivity. The program is now underway with more than 1,000 hectares of farmland in the Konya Basin, where farmers growing alfalfa, corn, and sugar beets are transitioning from conventional irrigation methods to subsurface drip irrigation (SDI).
This shift significantly reduces nitrous oxide emissions by preventing excessive water saturation and improving fertilizer efficiency, and also leads to quantifiable increases in soil sequestration, totalling a projected 3.5 tonnes of CO₂e emissions per hectare annually. Turkish farmers are set to directly benefit from this transition through increased yields and lower input costs. By integrating digital farming, automation, and precision irrigation technologies, the program advances sustainable agricultural practices while enhancing climate resilience.
Leveraging Carbon Finance to Drive Adoption
The program is working to generate high-quality carbon credits using Verra’s Improved Agricultural Land Management methodology, by quantifying the climate benefits of SDI adoption, providing additional incentives for farmers to transition to more sustainable practices. Virridy is leading the carbon credit generation process and is also utilizing digital monitoring, reporting, and verification technologies to track emissions reductions and water savings.
Orbia Netafim, a global leader in precision irrigation, provides its expertise in agronomy and irrigation system implementation, ensuring that farmers optimize their water use while maximizing productivity. This initiative builds on Netafim’s previous success in carbon credit programs, including its breakthrough in reducing methane emissions from drip-irrigated rice farming. By reinvesting revenues from carbon credit sales, the program works to subsidize SDI installation costs and promotes the adoption of automation technology, making modern irrigation solutions more accessible to farmers.
Transforming Irrigated Agriculture in Turkey and Beyond
As the program expands, it looks to establish a scalable model for sustainable agriculture that can be replicated across other irrigated regions in Turkey and beyond. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving soil health, and lowering water consumption, it directly supports Turkey’s national sustainability and climate goals. Farmers gain not only financial and environmental benefits but also increased resilience against drought and changing climate conditions.
The collaboration between Virridy and Orbia Netafim demonstrates how carbon finance can bridge the gap between agricultural innovation and climate action, making sustainable practices both accessible and economically viable. With a strong foundation in place, the program is positioned for continued growth, creating long-term environmental and economic benefits for farmers and communities.
Evidence Base Archives Collection
EVIDENCE BASED ARCHIVES
Rwanda
Learn about Virridy and the Amazi Meza Rwanda Water Treatment Program.
EVIDENCE BASED ARCHIVES
Kenya
Learn about our Kenya Drought Resilience work and how we impacted more than a million people
EVIDENCE BASED ARCHIVES
United States
Learn about 'watershed carbon' methodology's applicability in the United States.