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Por Agroempresario.com
Perennial, a Boulder-based startup co-founded by Oleksiy (Alex) Zhuk, Jack Roswell, and David Schurman, has secured approval to use its VT0014 digital soil mapping tool in Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) program. The tool represents a significant innovation in soil carbon measurement, offering a third method beyond traditional sampling and process-based modeling. By combining satellite data, historical soil data, and machine learning, Perennial claims it can dramatically reduce the need for intensive soil sampling, making carbon quantification more cost-effective, scalable, and accessible globally.
“This tool is a quantum leap forward in soil quantification,” said David Schurman. “It not only lowers barriers for measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) in regions already hosting projects, but it also unlocks new areas, carbon initiatives, and climate finance opportunities. Projects such as rTek’s 500,000-hectare grassland regeneration in Kazakhstan are now able to participate in carbon markets using Verra’s VM0032 methodology.”
Perennial’s digital soil mapping addresses a key challenge: regions with scarce data or historically excluded from carbon markets. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on extensive sampling or simulation models, VT0014 integrates multiple environmental inputs, providing statistically robust soil organic carbon (SOC) estimates. Corporations including Bayer, Anthesis, and CoolPath have already committed to leveraging Perennial as an MMRV partner.
“After extensive validation studies, we selected Perennial due to their exceptional ability to deliver precise results with minimal sampling,” said Leo Bastos, SVP and head of global commercial ecosystems at Bayer. Mandy Rambharos, CEO of Verra, added: “Digital soil mapping is critical for reducing costs associated with scaling agricultural land management projects, while ensuring integrity and transparency for both project developers and corporate buyers.”
Perennial focuses on mapping soil organic carbon at 0-30 cm depth, the layer most responsive to changes in land management practices. This approach aligns with IPCC guidelines for soil carbon accounting, capturing a significant portion of total SOC in agricultural systems. David Schurman explained, “Digital soil mapping has been discussed academically for about 20 years. Essentially, it uses satellite and field data combined via machine learning to scale up carbon mapping capabilities. We track ecosystem dynamics over time, incorporating temperature, precipitation, tillage, and biomass inputs.”
Process-based modeling remains ideal for well-studied systems, such as North American row crops, but is often impractical in grasslands or regions like South America and Africa, where long-term research data are limited. Here, digital soil mapping fills critical gaps, allowing accurate SOC estimation in areas previously excluded from carbon markets.
Perennial’s proprietary ATLAS-SOC model has integrated over 350,000 soil samples. For each project, ATLAS-SOC uses strategically selected local samples to fill gaps, producing hundreds to thousands of times more SOC data points than sampling alone. The partnership with Bayer has been crucial in validating the technology, ensuring its precision and reliability.
“Digital soil mapping is already allowing us to determine which farms and regions are most suitable for regenerative agriculture projects,” said Schurman. “Economics are critical—if the potential SOC increase isn’t significant, neither farmers nor project developers will invest. Accurately quantifying carbon per acre is vital for project feasibility and scaling.”
Beyond measurement, Perennial’s platform evaluates soil health and carbon sequestration potential, helping partners identify high-impact areas for regenerative projects. “When soils lose carbon, they lose the very property that distinguishes fertile soil from dirt,” said Schurman. Nature-based solutions like regenerative agriculture can restore carbon, improve water retention, and increase organic matter, but benefits require long-term commitment and financial incentives for farmers.
Durability and additionality remain challenges. “Carbon stored in soils can be released through tillage, drought, or land use change,” explained Schurman. “Our tool addresses these issues by enabling precise tracking, integrating buffer pools for voluntary carbon market credits, and applying risk management approaches borrowed from finance.”
Perennial also sees potential in linking digital soil mapping to commodity pricing and corporate sustainability commitments. Scope 3 emissions reporting, particularly in Europe and Asia, creates market-driven incentives for farmers to adopt regenerative practices. “Differentiating commodity prices based on carbon intensity transforms these practices into a win-win, not solely reliant on carbon finance,” said Schurman.
Land value and degradation metrics are additional areas where digital soil mapping can guide investment. By quantifying soil carbon changes over time, farmers and corporations can make informed decisions, ensuring both environmental and economic returns.
Perennial’s clients span multiple continents, from project developers in the voluntary carbon market to food brands managing Scope 3 commitments. The company has raised over $25 million from investors including GenZero, Bloomberg LP, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, SineWave Ventures, and Augment Ventures.
Schurman emphasized that financial considerations are the primary barrier for farmers, alongside tradition and generational practices. “Once financial incentives are in place, adoption cascades as farmers observe the benefits firsthand,” he said.
Securing approval from Verra represents a critical milestone. “Digital soil mapping enables us to scale soil carbon quantification globally, including in regions historically excluded due to data scarcity,” explained Schurman. “It reduces labor-intensive sampling, increases transparency, and provides accurate, verifiable data to project developers and corporate buyers.”
The adoption of VT0014 and ATLAS-SOC is expected to accelerate participation in carbon markets, expand regenerative agriculture, and facilitate access to climate finance for underserved regions. As carbon markets grow and sustainability standards evolve, tools like Perennial’s digital soil mapping platform will become essential for governments, corporations, and farmers committed to net-zero and climate-positive initiatives.
Looking ahead, Perennial envisions global deployment, leveraging satellite data, machine learning, and localized validation to quantify soil carbon reliably. The platform addresses both measurement and durability concerns, providing a foundation for scalable, financially viable regenerative agriculture projects.
“Digital soil mapping bridges the gap between data scarcity and market access,” concluded Schurman. “We’re enabling farmers and developers to participate in climate solutions while ensuring integrity, scalability, and economic viability. It’s a game-changer for soil carbon and sustainable agriculture worldwide.”
