South African farmers are under growing pressure from rising input costs, climate volatility and the need to build long‑term resilience, yet many remain unsure how carbon markets can work in a practical, credible way for agriculture.
It is against this backdrop that Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking (BCB) is pleased to announce its partnership with Orizon Agriculture, a South African carbon project developer that enables farmers to turn regenerative farming practices into verified carbon credits, while participating in carbon markets without taking on additional complexity.
This is South Africa’s first bank-backed regenerative agriculture carbon crop credit programme.
The partnership aims to help agricultural clients who are already improving soil health or reducing on‑farm emissions translate those efforts into supplementary income, while continuing to focus on productive, commercially viable farming.
Through the collaboration, eligible Standard Bank clients can be introduced to Orizon’s CarbonCrop Rewards Programme, which measures and verifies improvements in soil organic carbon and reductions in on‑farm emissions. These verified outcomes are issued as carbon credits, which can be sold into carbon markets alongside a farmer’s core agricultural production.
Carbon credits represent verified environmental outcomes, with each credit equivalent to one tonne of greenhouse gas emissions that has been reduced or removed from the atmosphere. In an agricultural context, this typically comes from practices such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, improved grazing management and lower fertiliser intensity, practices many farmers already use to improve productivity and resilience.
Orizon manages the technical aspects of the programme, including measurement, independent verification and registration under internationally recognised carbon standards, allowing farmers to focus on farming rather than navigating compliance and administration.
“Farmers are increasingly being challenged to balance productivity, profitability and sustainability,” says Bill Blackie, Chief Executive of Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank Group. “This partnership with Orizon 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 and independently verified outcomes.”
The Standard Bank-Orizon partnership comes at an opportune time as farmers and agricultural sector stakeholders gather at Grain SA’s NAMPO Harvest Day, taking place from 12 – 15 May 2026 in Bothaville, Free State, under the theme “Resilience Through Innovation”, which should encourage broader sector discussions on long‑term economic viability, climate risk and emerging strategic shifts, particularly around regenerative agricultural practices.
“Trust and simplicity are essential for farmer participation in carbon markets,” says Michael Lilje, CEO and Founder of Orizon Agriculture. “There is clear interest from farmers, but also understandable caution. Our role is to ensure carbon projects are robust, transparent and farmer‑focused. Working with Standard Bank allows farmers to engage through a trusted relationship, while we ensure the integrity of the carbon credits generated.”
Beyond potential carbon income, regenerative practices supported by the programme can contribute to improved soil health, better water retention and greater long‑term productivity.
The Standard Bank-Orizon partnership will initially focus on South African commercial farmers, with a first‑year onboarding phase aimed at building confidence and understanding of agricultural carbon markets, supported by Standard Bank relationship managers who will introduce interested clients to Orizon.
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