The ongoing reduction of shade cover in (smallholder) coffee and cocoa farms is among the largest contributors to the high carbon emissions of these commodities. At the same time, current methodologies do not allow companies to financially reward farmers for protecting and increasing existing shade cover.
‍

We have developed the ‘Carble methodology for shade-grown coffee and cocoa’, which describes the procedures for rewarding the protection of existing shade canopies in coffee and cocoa agroforestry farms.
‍

Within our Methodology, you will learn how we:
‍

• quantify the difference in net carbon emissions from reduced above- and below-ground biomass, between the baseline scenario and actual farmer performance,
• quantify results-based payments to farmers,
• estimate the change in shade-tree biomass by direct measurements through satellite imagery - calibrated on field measurements.

Our methodology is designed to reduce emissions within value chains and can be used as a supplement to the GHG Protocol’s Land-sector & Removals guidance (it is not meant to be used for the voluntary carbon market).