Syngenta and Groundwork BioAg have announced a strategic partnership that aims to help farmers earn additional income from carbon credits while improving crop performance and soil health.
Under the agreement, Syngenta will commercialise Groundwork’s mycorrhiza-based products and soil carbon solutions under its own label, initially targeting growers of corn, soybeans, cereals and sunflower in Europe and Latin America.
Groundwork BioAg will be responsible for manufacturing, supply, digital tools and management of the carbon programme.
The companies say the model combines two incentives in a single offering: improved agronomic performance through mycorrhizal fungi and the opportunity to generate revenue from verified soil carbon credits.
“The model we’ve built with Groundwork BioAg goes beyond farming carbon – it builds resilience, restores soil health, and accumulates long-term carbon stocks at a remarkable pace, while generating carbon credits from which farmers directly benefit,” said Petra Laux, chief sustainability officer at Syngenta Group.
How the carbon programme will work
Speaking to AgNavigator, a Syngenta spokesperson said the programme is designed to link the carbon sequestration benefits of mycorrhizal fungi directly to carbon credit generation.
“The partnership bundles two benefits in one offer: Groundwork’s mycorrhizal fungi improve nutrient and water uptake, delivering higher and more resilient crop yields. At the same time, the soil carbon sequestration driven by these fungi is linked to the generation of carbon credits, with the aim of creating an additional revenue stream directly for farmers.”
The programme will initially launch in Argentina and Ukraine, although additional countries could be added over time.
Eligible growers will include producers of crops that form symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi, including corn, soybeans, cereals and sunflower.
Participation will target farms already practising, or transitioning towards, low-till or no-till systems and will require an initial four-year commitment.
Farmers to receive two-thirds of carbon credit revenues
One of the most significant details for growers is how revenue generated from carbon credits will be shared.
According to Syngenta, farmers enrolled in the programme will receive two-thirds of the net proceeds generated from carbon credit sales.
The carbon credits will be developed using the same framework Groundwork BioAg has already deployed independently in the United States.
The company said it intends to certify the programme under Verra’s VM0042 methodology, one of the leading standards for soil carbon projects.
However, farmers will need to be patient before receiving returns.
Syngenta said verified carbon credit revenues could potentially be generated within 2.5 years of the programme starting, although actual payment timing will depend on the certification process.
“Farmers may be able to access Verified Carbon Credit returns in as little as 2.5 years after programme starts. However, the timing of the first payment will depend on the Verra certification process,” the spokesperson said.
Building carbon through mycorrhizal fungi
The partnership centres on Groundwork BioAg’s mycorrhizal technology.
Mycorrhizal fungi form naturally occurring symbiotic relationships with plant roots, helping crops improve nutrient and water uptake while strengthening resilience against environmental stresses.
The fungi are also linked to soil carbon sequestration because they help transfer carbon into the soil and contribute to the formation of durable mineral-associated organic matter.
As a result, soils can become more fertile, store water more effectively and become more resilient to drought and erosion.
Groundwork BioAg CEO Alon Werber said the partnership positions mycorrhizal fungi as both an agronomic input and a climate solution.
“By combining Syngenta’s market access with our proven mycorrhizal capabilities, we are positioning mycorrhizal fungi as both a valuable agronomic input and a significant pathway for agricultural climate mitigation through our end-to-end carbon programme.”
How much carbon can be stored?
One of the key questions surrounding agricultural carbon programmes is how much carbon can actually be sequestered.
“Based on US evidence across 2023 and 2024, the technology demonstrates significant sequestration potential – consistently above 3 tCO₂/ha – which provides a strong foundation for credit generation," the spokesperson said.
A new approach to biologicals
For Syngenta, the partnership reflects a broader shift in how biological products are being positioned in agriculture.
Rather than selling a biological input purely on its agronomic benefits, the model combines yield and soil-health improvements with a potential carbon income opportunity.
“This partnership reflects how biologicals are increasingly becoming a central part of agriculture,” said Emilhano Lima, global head of seedcare and biologicals at Syngenta.
“Nature-inspired solutions give farmers effective, reliable tools, while also providing concrete agronomical returns.”
The programme will be offered to farmers under a new brand name, while the biological products themselves will be sold under Syngenta’s AVAKITT® nutrient-use-efficiency portfolio.
