A new international initiative aimed at strengthening environmental monitoring and promoting climate-smart agriculture across Africa has been launched by the James Hutton Institute in the UK, starting with implementation in Ghana.

The initiative, known as the Monitoring, Analysis, Reporting and Verification for Effective Low-carbon Climate Resilience and Mitigation Network (MARVEL-NET), is designed to deliver continuous, data-driven insights into soil health, carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions. This will enable farmers, researchers and policymakers to make informed decisions that improve resilience, boost productivity and support access to emerging carbon markets.

The network was unveiled during the second CarbonXtras stakeholder workshop held in Accra. The CarbonXtras programme connects technology developers and community organisations from the UK, Ghana and Brazil to support the adoption of climate-smart and regenerative farming practices.

MARVEL-NET builds on earlier work carried out in Ghana through CarbonXtras, where a Dynamic Real-Time Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system demonstrated the effectiveness of combining low-cost sensors, mobile tools and advanced modelling to generate reliable environmental data under real farming conditions.

Through the use of field sensors and a mobile application, farmers and field teams can capture real-time data on farming practices and environmental conditions. This information is integrated with scientific measurements to monitor key indicators such as soil health, moisture levels, carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions.

The system also incorporates “digital twin” models tailored to specific ecological zones, including Ghana’s semi-deciduous forest areas like Ejisu and the Guinea savanna regions around Tamale. These models ensure that local variations in soil, climate and farming systems are accurately reflected.

By combining real-time data with predictive modelling, MARVEL-NET can assess current conditions while also forecasting how crops and soils may respond to future weather patterns or management decisions. This provides early warnings to farmers, helping them mitigate risks and safeguard yields.

In addition, the network establishes credible baselines for soil health and emissions, which are essential for identifying effective interventions. As the system expands, it is expected to generate the verified data required for farmers to participate in global carbon markets, creating new income opportunities.

For governments, MARVEL-NET offers a transparent and scalable solution for tracking agricultural emissions, supporting national reporting requirements and guiding investment in sustainable rural development.

While the initial rollout is focused on Ghana, the platform has been designed for expansion across Africa and potentially into other regions such as Brazil, which contributed compatible soil data to support system calibration.

Dr Jagadeesh Yeluripati, Senior Scientist at the James Hutton Institute and Lead Principal Investigator on the project, described the network as a significant advancement in the use of environmental data to support agriculture.

“By integrating real-time monitoring with advanced modelling and strong local partnerships, MARVEL-NET will provide trusted evidence to improve soil health, strengthen climate resilience and unlock new opportunities, including access to global carbon markets,” he said.

Dr Caleb Melenya Ocansey, Co-Principal Investigator at CSIR-Crops Research Institute in Ghana, added that the initiative will transform fragmented environmental data into actionable climate solutions at scale.

He noted that linking real-time soil intelligence with farmer decision-making will drive measurable improvements in productivity, resilience and carbon outcomes, while also enabling Africa to participate more effectively in high-integrity carbon markets.

The project is supported by the Climate Smart Agriculture Partnership: UK–Brazil–Africa programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and delivered by Innovate UK.