The ACORN approach

Acorn (Agroforestry CRUs for the Organic Restoration of Nature) is a Rabobank initiative. Its aim is to increase the accessibility of the international carbon market for smallholder farmers in the developing world. By utilizing its unique position and strong connections in the food and agri-sector, Rabobank is activating change by encouraging smallholder farmers to transform their agricultural practices into more sustainable ones.

Through the ACORN platform, a unique collaboration between Rabobank, Microsoft and Solidaridad Network, farmers are now able to sell the carbon emissions stored on the trees on their land. ACORN is a breakthrough for smallholder providers of carbon removal units. For companies, it is the first global platform to buy carbon emissions from smallholders to reach net-zero emission targets.