Centre for High Carbon
Capture Cropping
The Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping (CHCx3) is a four-year, £5.9 million research initiative led by Dr Lydia Smith at NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany), running from 2023 to 2027.
It is funded by Defra through the Farming Futures R&D Fund: Climate Smart Farming, the project brings together 22 partners to support UK farmers and growers in reaching Net Zero targets and improving farming resilience through diversified cropping systems. It will enable new revenue sources through a carbon marketplace and support enhanced value chains for industries such as textiles and construction.
CHCx3 focuses on four key cropping options:
Cover Crops
Short-term crops grown between harvests to improve soil health and lock in carbon.Annual Fibre Crops
Crops like industrial hemp and flax that offer fast-growing, high-carbon material for textiles and composites.Perennial Food, Feed & Forage
Resilient species, such as herbal leys and certain cereals, that require fewer inputs and boost biodiversity.Perennial Biomass Crops
High-yield species like miscanthus, willow, and poplar, used for energy, carbon storage, and sustainable materials.
The research will assess how these crops capture atmospheric carbon and store it in soils or crop-based products, while also examining their potential to generate renewable biomaterials for use in industries such as textiles and construction.
Objectives
Evaluate food, forage, and industrial cropping options with potential to enhance atmospheric carbon capture, and sequestration in the soil and crop-based products
Optimise production of renewable biomaterials for fibre, textiles, and construction, and build value chains
Establish a UK Knowledge Hub providing resources to support effective uptake and utilisation of crops with high carbon capture potential
Quantify carbon removals, consistent with emerging standards for measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification
Develop carbon insetting/offsetting platforms, achieving revenue generation for farmers and supporting corporate sustainability
News & Updates
Dr Lydia Smith CropTec 2024
CropTec 2024
At CropTec, our Project Lead, Dr Lydia Smith, delivered an outstanding talk on the opportunities for farmers in industrial hemp…
Opportunities for Farmers in Industrial Hemp Cultivation
A recent Farmers Weekly article has highlighted the significant potential of industrial hemp to enhance carbon capture, improve soil health, mitigate the effects of…
CHCX-3 Partners Winter Update
CHCx3 Project Updates: What We’ve Been Up To
The CHCx3 project partners have had an incredibly busy autumn and early winter, with a range of events, research activities, and industry collaborations…
Exploring the Potential for Perennial Wheat in the UK'
Cereal crops dominate UK arable land, requiring annual tillage and leading to high costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil health concerns. Intermediate wheatgrass