Reliable Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems for carbon farming depend on access to accurate and consistent agricultural data. However, differences in data availability, accessibility and interoperability across Europe can complicate monitoring activities and increase costs for farmers and certification schemes.

A new MARVIC deliverable, authored by Ella Deroo (ILVO) and colleagues and now publicly available, examines these challenges across 26 test cases in the project’s 12 European countries. By mapping available farm data sources, identifying gaps and reviewing data-sharing platforms, the report assesses the potential for digitalisation to support the upscaling of MRV systems while reducing farmers’ administrative burden.

The findings highlight the value of the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) as a source of farm and parcel-level information, while a survey across MARVIC’s test cases reveals significant differences in data accessibility between countries, particularly for agricultural management practices such as tillage, irrigation and fertilisation. To address these challenges, the report identifies opportunities to improve data sharing through initiatives such as the Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN) and the Common European Agricultural Data Space (CEADS). Greater interoperability, harmonised data standards and secure data-sharing arrangements could help reduce farmers’ administrative burden and support more efficient, context-specific carbon farming MRV systems.

Overall, the report provides valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, land managers, advisory services and organisations involved in agricultural data management and MRV systems. Its findings are particularly relevant to the implementation of EU policies and frameworks, including the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).