Carbon farming and agriculture: a bibliometric analysis
Kashif Khaqan, Benedikt Fest, T.J. Harrison, Harpinder Sandhu
Abstract
In recent years, carbon farming has gained significant widespread interest for its potential to contribute to climate change mitigation. This bibliometric analysis investigates the research landscape of carbon farming and agriculture, highlighting key trends, identifying significant publications, and pointing towards new research directions. A total of 996 articles were identified in nine academic disciplines, published in 160 journals across 92 countries, comprising 72.1% of research articles. Australia leads with 347 (34.8%) publications, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) stands out with 94 (9.4%) publications, indicating its significant role in the field. Co-occurrence analysis of keywords revealed six major themes related to carbon farming. The results of this analysis indicate a growing interest in carbon farming research from 2003 to 2023, as evidenced by an increasing number of publications, references, authors, and participating countries. This analysis can help advance the research agenda for the scientific community by providing an update on current research on carbon farming. The analysis also highlights sustainable farming methods that enhance soil health and carbon sequestration, and such practices can be adopted by the farming community. The analysis can also be used by policy makers to develop appropriate responses about incentives and regulations that may encourage environmentally friendly agriculture, fostering widespread adoption of carbon farming.