The James Hutton Institute, Scotland’s pre‑eminent interdisciplinary research institute for sustainable land, crop and nature management, has launched a new network to strengthen real‑time environmental monitoring and climate‑smart farming across Africa, beginning in Ghana.
The Monitoring, Analysis, Reporting and Verification for Effective Low‑carbon Climate Resilience and Mitigation Network (MARVEL‑NET) will provide continuous, evidence‑based data on soil health, carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions, giving farmers, researchers and policymakers the information they need to improve climate resilience, optimise yields and compete in emerging markets.
The network was revealed at the second CarbonXtras stakeholder workshop in Accra. CarbonXtras brings together technology developers and community organisations from the UK, Ghana and Brazil to help farmers adopt climate‑smart, regenerative practices.
MARVEL‑NET builds on the Dynamic Real‑Time Monitoring, Reporting and Verification system previously implemented in Ghana through CarbonXtras, which showed that low‑cost sensors, mobile technology and advanced modelling can deliver trustworthy environmental data in real farming conditions.
Using field sensors and a mobile app, farmers and field teams can record observations and management practices, which are uploaded in real time and combined with environmental measurements to track soil health, carbon stocks, greenhouse gas emissions and soil moisture.
Digital twin models tailored to ecological zones, such as the semi‑deciduous forest around Ejisu or the Guinea savanna near Tamale, ensure the system reflects real differences in soils, climate and farming systems.
By linking real‑time measurements with modelling, MARVEL‑NET can describe current conditions and predict how soils and crops may respond to future weather or management choices, giving farmers early warning of risks and helping them protect yields.
The network also establishes credible baselines of soil health and emissions, essential for identifying where interventions are most effective. As it grows, MARVEL‑NET will generate the verifiable data required for participation in global carbon markets, opening new opportunities for farmers across Africa.
For governments and policymakers, the network offers a transparent, scalable way to monitor agricultural emissions, support national reporting and inform investment in sustainable rural development.
Although currently focused on Ghana, the system is designed to be scalable and could expand across Africa and possibly beyond, such as to Brazil, which contributed to the CarbonXtras project by providing compatible soil data to calibrate the MRV system.
Dr. Jagadeesh Yeluripati
Dr. Jagadeesh Yeluripati, a senior scientist at the Hutton and Lead Principal Investigator on the project, said, “MARVEL‑NET represents a major step forward in how environmental data can be generated, shared and used to support climate‑smart agriculture in Ghana.
“By combining real‑time monitoring, advanced modelling and strong partnerships with farmers and institutions on the ground, the network will provide the trusted evidence needed to improve soil health, build climate resilience and unlock new opportunities, including participation in global carbon markets."
Dr Caleb Melenya Ocansey, Co-Principal Investigator, CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Ghana said, “MARVEL-NET will convert fragmented environmental data into verifiable climate action at scale. Linking real-time soil intelligence with farmer decision-making will assist them to deliver measurable gains in productivity, resilience and carbon integrity.
“For policymakers, this is investable infrastructure. It is transparent, scalable and capable of unlocking Africa’s participation in high-integrity global carbon markets while directly improving rural livelihoods.”
This project was supported by the Climate Smart Agriculture Partnership: UK–Brazil–Africa, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and delivered by Innovate UK.