Making Farm-Level Climate Data Visible to Close the Credibility Gap in Food Supply Chains

This publication is adopted from: https://africasustainabilitymatters.com/how-weak-farm-level-data-is-undermining-global-climate-targets-in-africa-new-data-shows/

As climate targets become mainstream across the food and agriculture sector, a deeper credibility challenge is coming into focus. The issue is no longer whether companies have Net Zero ambitions, but whether those ambitions are supported by data that can be independently verified, particularly at the farm level where most emissions are generated. Independent assessments increasingly show that a significant share of corporate climate commitments rely on estimated or proxy data, especially for Scope 3 emissions beyond direct operational control.

Africa Sustainability Matters examines how weak farm-level data continues to undermine climate accountability across African agricultural supply chains. Agriculture and food systems contribute nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet much of this impact remains poorly captured in corporate reporting and remains hidden within fragmented production landscapes beyond factory gates. This disconnect has become one of the central challenges facing credible climate disclosure in global food systems.

Much of Africa’s agricultural production is carried out by smallholders farming fragmented plots under complex tenure systems, where consistent data on land use, inputs, and farming practices is rarely collected. As a result, Scope 3 emissions and land use change are often estimated rather than measured, leaving significant blind spots in climate disclosures. In many cases, these estimates rely on regional averages or modeling assumptions that fail to reflect farm-level realities.

The article highlights how survival driven decisions made by millions of farmers, such as incremental land expansion or reduced input use under financial pressure, collectively shape the emissions profile of food systems, while remaining largely invisible in corporate climate accounts. This disconnect becomes particularly acute as regulatory expectations tighten. What happens at the first mile increasingly determines whether downstream climate claims can withstand scrutiny.

Under frameworks such as the EU Deforestation Regulation and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, companies supplying global markets are now expected to demonstrate deforestation free sourcing and substantiate emissions claims with plot level geolocation data and verifiable evidence. For African exporters, this represents both opportunity and risk. Those able to document low deforestation and low emissions production can protect access to premium markets, while those without verified data face exclusion regardless of actual practices. Compliance is therefore shifting from a reporting exercise to an operational capability.

To close this gap, Koltiva works with agribusinesses and food companies by combining satellite monitoring with verified field-level data. Its approach integrates geospatial imagery with information on land use, farming practices, fertiliser application, and livestock management, enabling emissions accounting to move beyond aggregated estimates toward grounded and auditable data. This combination allows companies to move from modeled assumptions to evidence-based measurement.

Remote sensing alone can detect land cover change, but without on-the-ground context, it cannot explain producer behaviour or production choices. Linking satellite data with structured, field-level information allows emissions figures to withstand scrutiny from regulators, investors, and buyers.

“Advanced monitoring technologies are powerful, but their value ultimately depends on the quality of the underlying data,” said Furqonuddin Ramdhani, Co-Chief Product Technology Officer of Koltiva. “Ground-truthing connects digital signals with real-world conditions. By validating satellite and remote-sensing outputs with on-the-ground evidence, emissions data becomes robust enough to support regulatory compliance, investment decisions, and market requirements. This combination of digital infrastructure and field verification is essential for building climate data systems that are credible, auditable, and scalable across global supply chains.”

Building credible farm-level data systems, however, remains complex. It requires sustained farmer engagement, trained field teams, digital infrastructure, and strong data governance, often in regions with limited connectivity and extension services. Financing remains central, as compliance costs risk becoming a new barrier for smallholders and exporters unless supported by blended and concessional funding. Without inclusive financing models, the risk is that compliance advantages accrue only to the most resourced actors.

“With the right data and credible measurement systems in place, agribusinesses have an opportunity to lead the transition toward climate-smart agriculture,” said Manfred Borer, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Koltiva. “Companies that can accurately measure, manage, and reduce their emissions will set the benchmark for the industry, while those that fail to do so risk falling behind as expectations from regulators, investors, and markets continue to rise.”

As climate standards and market scrutiny intensify, credibility will increasingly be determined at the first mile, where land is managed, forests are protected, and emissions are either measured or missed. By supporting verified, field-level data collection and traceability, Koltiva contributes to making climate accountability practical, inclusive, and scalable across global supply chains. In this context, farm-level data is no longer a technical detail—it is the foundation of credible climate action.