Drakeford Carbon Project

Drakeford Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, approximately 25km west of Temora. It was registered in September 2021 and covers 257.94 ha.

Soil carbon projects under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology involve implementing new or materially different agricultural management practices to increase the amount of organic carbon stored in the soil. Proponents must undertake rigorous baseline soil sampling and use ongoing measurements or approved models to calculate and verify the net carbon sequestration over time.

The Temora area is a highly productive agricultural region known predominantly for broadacre cropping and livestock farming. The area experiences a semi-arid climate with moderate rainfall, averaging roughly 475mm to 550mm annually. Soils in this region are largely red earths and clay loams, which are well-suited and heavily utilized for winter cropping systems.

This project aims to increase carbon in the agricultural soil system through several specific practice changes. These activities include applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilisers to address material nutrient deficiencies in the land, retaining stubble after a crop is harvested rather than removing or burning it, and converting from intensive tillage practices to reduced or no-tillage systems. Interestingly, the project was originally registered under the older 2018 soil carbon measurement determination, but formally transferred to the updated 2021 measurement and models determination in August 2024 to take advantage of updated modeling approaches.