Credible Data, Lasting Change: Introducing FarmSolve

Regenerative Farming and the Future of Carbon Finance in South Africa

Regenerative farming is gaining momentum in South Africa. Farmers are seeking ways to heal degraded land, adapt to climate shifts, and access new revenue streams through carbon finance. However, proving that these changes are real, measurable, and verifiable depends on one crucial element: data.

That’s where FarmSolve, developed by PowerSolve Technologies, comes into play. FarmSolve is a new Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) solution. It serves as the digital backbone of TASC’s commercial Grassland Restoration and Stewardship in South Africa (GRASS) project. This project is one of the first of its kind, bringing significant positive change for commercial livestock farmers across the country. By capturing what happens in the field, FarmSolve ensures that project activities can be verified by TASC, investors, and carbon markets.

Working With Farmers for Lasting Change

Across Southern Africa and globally, grasslands are under immense pressure. Desertification, the degradation of dry land into desert, increasingly threatens both ecosystems and livelihoods. Traditional farming methods often react to these problems with technological interventions and temporary fixes that do not address the underlying causes.

The Savory Institute clearly describes the challenges in its Foundations of Holistic Management:

• Declining land productivity

• Rising production costs

• Pressure from global markets and complex regulations

• Extreme weather events

• Shifting societal expectations about land use

  
  

At the same time, the Institute highlights what is possible when land is managed in alignment with nature’s processes. By strengthening the symbiotic relationships between soil, plants, animals, and people, farmers can achieve:

• Increased profits, stocking rates, and crop yields

• The return of wildlife and perennial grasses

• Healthier soils and ecosystems

• Improved quality of life

  
  

² Inter-Plant Spacing in Grasslands

TASC’s commercial GRASS project encourages farmers to manage holistically and utilize adaptive livestock grazing management practices. These practices restore degraded soils and improve biodiversity. These changes build ecological resilience and increase soil-based carbon sequestration. This opens opportunities to generate carbon credits as a new income stream, alongside healthier livestock and landscapes. TASC has already seen these principles take root. As Carbon Portfolio Manager Lize Kok explains:

“The carbon project is invested in supporting farmers to transition to more regenerative grazing management by sponsoring training in regenerative land management, software to easily record day-to-day management activities, monitoring of ecological and soil indicators, and access to a team of mentors and supporters. While revenue from carbon credits will be a welcome bonus to the farmers, the true value lies in the tangible outcomes resulting from these changes. On the ground, farmers have reported more diversity in their grasslands, improved grazing conditions, and more productive livestock.”

This perspective underscores an important point: this project is about more than carbon. It’s about sustainability in its broadest sense: building farms that thrive both financially and ecologically, creating productive landscapes for future generations. When it comes to improving soil health, TASC empowers farmers to work with nature. They use tools like Ecological Outcome Verification (EOVs) to give farmers direct feedback on soil health and biodiversity indicators. This provides practical insights that guide decisions on the ground.

FarmSolve acts as the Single Source of Truth (SSoT) for project operations. Farmer onboarding data and project activities are stored and managed on FarmSolve. Information such as monthly rainfall, field size, and herd movements are logged and pulled into FarmSolve via API. Reports can be generated from this information, and calculations can be automated, such as the number of Livestock Units (LSUs) and field Rated Carrying Capacity. This data repository helps the carbon team better understand patterns in livestock activity and the results of improved land management interventions.

How FarmSolve Came About

Three partners have worked closely together to bring FarmSolve to life:

1. Healing Hooves (HH) is at the heart of farmer training. They teach the visualization of holistic land management and regenerative grazing based on Allan Savory’s principles of Holistic Management.

• They guide farmers to shift their mindset and adopt regenerative grazing practices.

• They offer a rich library of resources and support to promote regenerative grazing principles and practical implementation.

• They teach Biological Plans and Grazing Plans. These plans help calculate optimal herd rotations and field duration, ensuring the right animals are in the right place at the right time for the right reasons.

  
  

2. TASC is the carbon project designer and implementer. They provide the funding and coordination that ensure plans translate into action and the project generates carbon credits:

• They assess farm eligibility and guide farmers through the carbon project process.

• Hub Leaders, mentors who guide farmers through the transition, manage farmer onboarding onto AgriWebb and FarmSolve. Here, grazing plan data is uploaded, and actual herd movements are tracked.

• Field technicians oversee soil sampling and Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) to provide farmers with feedback and monitor environmental impact.

• The carbon team measures the increase in soil-based carbon sequestration and prepares the project for verification and carbon credit issuance.

  
  

3. PowerSolve Technologies manages the design and maintenance of FarmSolve, creating a digital backbone that grows and evolves with the project:

• It integrates with AgriWebb to capture detailed farm data like herd movements and monthly rainfall.

• It generates a fully auditable data trail, ensuring transparency, traceability, and legitimacy.

• It generates reports on farms and automates data cleaning and flagging of overdue tasks.

• It enables TASC to prove impact and provide stakeholders with confidence that project activities are real and measurable.

  
  

Farm Overview in FarmSolve

Where FarmSolve and the GRASS Project Stand Today

The GRASS project is still in its early stages, but it is expanding steadily and generating momentum. The first group of 8 farmers was onboarded just over a year ago. This laid the foundation for practical implementation of regenerative grazing and data tracking. This year, the project has grown to 108 farmers, reflecting growing interest and confidence in the approach.

While the system is still early-stage and iterative, the focus remains on breaking new ground in regenerative grazing and credible data tracking. Tracking real herd movement data is challenging to visualize. However, increasing feedback from TASC and farmers is allowing FarmSolve to become more intuitive and multifunctional. Each new cohort contributes to a richer dataset, strengthening the overall story of land regeneration.

As TASC CFO Malcolm Stewart put it, “In a short period of implementation, the tangible changes in the landscape are encouraging us to continue working to promote rangeland stewardship across South Africa.” The scale of the project is also increasing rapidly. Nearly 150,000 hectares of regenerative land are set to be included in the verification process for the second grazing season. In just two years, TASC has expanded its team of hub leaders and extended its reach to the Free State, KwaZulu Natal, and the Eastern Cape.

It’s important to note that the true value of these efforts is revealed over time. While early signs of progress can be seen within a single season, such as improvements in soil health, grass growth, and livestock quality, the full impact on the land unfolds over decades.

Why This Matters: Beyond Carbon

FarmSolve will allow this type of carbon offset project to be replicated globally. It ensures credibility is built into the project from the ground up. This enables project developers to demonstrate real, measurable change and access carbon finance with confidence.

But the story of this digital MRV solution goes far beyond carbon. The real impact lies in the co-benefits: healthier soils, stronger ecosystems, more resilient farms, and improved animal production. For the farmers, these tangible improvements are the true reward. The carbon credits are simply an added benefit that contributes to enabling this transformation.

The lessons here demonstrate that with the right mix of knowledge, support, and technology, regenerative grazing can deliver measurable environmental, economic, and social benefits. This proves that sustainable farming isn’t just an ideal; it’s the future.

³ Happy Cows in a Field

The Role of Technology in Regenerative Farming

In the evolving landscape of agriculture, technology plays a pivotal role. It enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of regenerative farming practices. Tools like FarmSolve not only streamline data management but also provide farmers with actionable insights. This empowers them to make informed decisions that benefit both their farms and the environment.

As we embrace technology, we also foster innovation. This innovation can lead to new methods of farming that are more sustainable and productive. By leveraging data, farmers can optimize their practices, ensuring that they meet both economic and ecological goals.

Future Prospects for Carbon Finance

The future of carbon finance in South Africa looks promising. As more farmers adopt regenerative practices, the potential for carbon credits increases. This creates a win-win scenario where farmers improve their land while generating additional income.

Moreover, as awareness of climate change grows, the demand for carbon credits will likely rise. This presents an opportunity for farmers to tap into new markets and secure funding for their projects. By aligning with global sustainability goals, South African farmers can position themselves as leaders in the carbon finance space.

Conclusion: A Sustainable Path Forward

In conclusion, regenerative farming represents a sustainable path forward for agriculture in South Africa. With the support of innovative solutions like FarmSolve, farmers can transition to practices that benefit their land and livelihoods. The integration of technology, training, and community support will be essential in this journey.

As we look ahead, it is clear that the future of carbon finance is intertwined with the success of regenerative farming. By investing in these practices, we can create a healthier planet for generations to come.

References

1. Savory Institute. The Foundations of Holistic Management. Savory Institute, 2024.

2. Kneale, Alexa. Inter-Plant Spacing in Grasslands, Graaf-Reinet, May 2025.

3. Kneale, Alexa. Happy Cows in a Field, Graaf-Reinet, May 2025.