Carbon credits generated by Lithuanian farmers have been sold to major international buyers, delivering tens of thousands of euros in additional income to local growers and marking a milestone for regenerative agriculture in the Baltic region through the initiative jointly operated by InSoil and Linas Agro.
Sonata Vasiliauskienė, a farmer from the Samogitia region, was among the first in Lithuania to adopt carbon farming practices in 2020. Over the participating period, her enrolled fields sequestered an average of 2.4 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare. She recently received her first payout, providing a timely financial boost ahead of the upcoming harvest.
“We didn’t know if we’d actually earn anything from carbon credits, but we’ve always been open to innovation, so we gave it a try,” said Vasiliauskienė. “For the past few years, farmers have been operating on razor-thin profit margins. It is clear that intensive farming is a dead end, so we must adapt and take advantage of new opportunities.”
From Local Fields to International Corporate Buyers
A portion of the carbon credits generated through the InSoil and Linas Agro program was acquired by a prominent lineup of international buyers, including U.S. biotechnology giant, climate solutions firms Anew Climate and Key Carbon, and Baltic private equity firm Livonia Partners.
Laimonas Noreika, CEO and co-founder of InSoil, noted that when the initiative launched in 2020, many growers were skeptical about making “money out of thin air.” Today, adoption has accelerated rapidly, with small- and medium-sized farm owners actively seeking certification for organic carbon sequestered in their soil.
“Sustainable farming today is not just an environmental choice—it offers real financial benefits,” said Noreika. “By applying soil carbon sequestration practices, farmers generate carbon credits that InSoil sells on the market. Revenue from these credits can boost farm profitability by up to 25 percent, creating a strong economic incentive to adopt sustainable methods. It’s a win for both the farmer and the climate.”
Real Impact for Farmers
“The first financial returns delivered to farmers prove that this program creates clear economic value for agricultural operations,” said Jonas Bakšys, CEO of AB Linas Agro, which acts as the official representative for the InSoil carbon program in Lithuania. “For Lithuanian farmers, this serves as an additional revenue stream alongside crop sales, strengthening overall farm profitability. Our goal is to ensure as many farmers as possible can access these opportunities so carbon farming becomes a practical, financially sound choice.”
Bakšys added that joining the carbon credit program involves zero upfront cost for farmers.
Among the top-performing participants, Medeikiai Agricultural Company (Medeikių ŽŪB) achieved an average sequestration rate of nearly 2.2 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare annually over six years in the program. General Manager Darius Landauskas reported that incorporating site-specific cover crop blends recommended by InSoil, switching to organic fertilizers, and adopting precision fertilization significantly lowered fertilizer expenditures while building soil health.
The carbon farming program assists growers in transitioning to regenerative practices—reducing soil tillage, optimizing cover crops, applying organic fertilizers, and improving crop residue management. These practices accelerate carbon accumulation, lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional farming, and improve farm margins through reduced input costs over time.
InSoil and Linas Agro currently manage Lithuania’s largest carbon farming initiative, encompassing over 140,000 hectares. Across Europe, InSoil’s carbon farming network covers nearly one million hectares of arable land. To date, InSoil has provided over €100 million in financing to support growers transitioning to regenerative agriculture, operating as Europe’s sole specialized financier for regenerative farming.