Our Services
Working together towards a sustainable future.
Assess. Improve. Save.
Independent sustainable agriculture partner
Independent monitoring is crucial for ensuring integrity, sustainability, and responsible governance within businesses. It fosters transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement while enhancing trust and confidence among stakeholders. Sustainability reporting has become imperative for agricultural stakeholders.
Benefits of Working with an Independent Partner
Partnering with an independent entity like Trace & Save offers numerous advantages:
Benefits of Working with an Independent Partner
Partnering with an independent entity like Trace & Save offers numerous advantages:
- Comprehensive data collection: Our team understands farming and the importance of accurate data, making us well-positioned to gather and compile data from farmers.
- Custom data input: The collected data can be used in any tool, assessment, or metric that stakeholders require.
- Adaptability to assessment systems: We are capable of learning and adapting to any sustainable agriculture assessment system and can assess farms against company-specific scorecards or criteria.
- Progress reporting: We can report on farm progress towards sustainable agriculture goals and identify opportunities for further improvement.
- Scientific documentation: We can assist in documenting sustainable agriculture progress in a scientifically rigorous manner.
By partnering with Trace & Save, stakeholders can ensure their sustainability efforts are transparent and accountable, thereby fostering greater consumer confidence and promoting continuous improvement in agricultural practices.
Trace & Save research database
The Trace & Save research database is a comprehensive repository of agricultural data, serving as a critical resource for a wide range of stakeholders. From universities and research institutes to farmers, product buyers, and corporate stakeholders, our database offers valuable insights into farm sustainability and productivity indicators.
Our database stores extensive data on soil health, water management, atmospheric footprint, and nutrient usage—crucial elements for informed decision-making and policy development. By leveraging this database, stakeholders can track progress, identify trends, and develop strategies that promote sustainability across the agricultural sector.
Our database stores extensive data on soil health, water management, atmospheric footprint, and nutrient usage—crucial elements for informed decision-making and policy development. By leveraging this database, stakeholders can track progress, identify trends, and develop strategies that promote sustainability across the agricultural sector.
Strengths of the database
- Safe long-term storage: Ensures the secure preservation of data over time.
- Consistent data storage: All data is stored in the same manner, ensuring uniformity.
- Comprehensive data for each farm: Every farm included has the same detailed data stored.
- Research-ready data: Data is stored in a manner that is easily accessible for research purposes.
The database allows Trace & Save to partner with other stakeholders, such as universities and industry bodies, on research projects, fostering collaboration and innovation in agricultural sustainability.
THE SWAN SYSTEM
Introducing the SWAN System: A Comprehensive Approach to Farm Sustainability
The SWAN system, developed by Phillip Terblanche, founder of Trace & Save, is a pioneering tool designed to measure and monitor holistic farm sustainability in a thorough and consistent way. SWAN stands for Soil, Water, Atmosphere, and Nutrients, encapsulating the core elements of agricultural sustainability.
What is the SWAN System?
The SWAN system offers a farm-level assessment that covers:
The SWAN system, developed by Phillip Terblanche, founder of Trace & Save, is a pioneering tool designed to measure and monitor holistic farm sustainability in a thorough and consistent way. SWAN stands for Soil, Water, Atmosphere, and Nutrients, encapsulating the core elements of agricultural sustainability.
What is the SWAN System?
The SWAN system offers a farm-level assessment that covers:
- Soil health: Evaluating soil biology, fertility and structure indicators.
- Water management: Monitoring water use efficiency and conservation of water resources.
- Atmosphere: Measuring greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration.
- Nutrient utilization: Assessing the efficiency of nutrient use using a farm-gate nutrient accounting.
Purpose
The primary goal of the SWAN system is to annually assess sustainability indicators on farms, enabling farmers to:
The primary goal of the SWAN system is to annually assess sustainability indicators on farms, enabling farmers to:
- Track their sustainability progress over time.
- Identify opportunities for improvement.
- Provide verifiable evidence of their sustainability efforts to stakeholders.
Components of the SWAN SYSTEM
Soil
Soil health is the cornerstone of sustainable farming. At Trace & Save, we measure a range of indicators that reflect soil biological activity, nutrient levels, and physical attributes. Healthy soil supports robust crop growth, enhances water retention, and minimizes the need for chemical inputs. Our comprehensive soil assessments provide farmers with a clear understanding of their soil's condition, enabling them to implement practices that foster long-term soil health and productivity.
Water
Effective water management ensures that farms use water resources efficiently and responsibly. We assess water usage, irrigation practices, and water quality to help farmers optimize their water consumption and protect local water bodies. By monitoring these aspects, we enable farmers to make informed decisions that conserve water and sustain their crops, even in times of scarcity. Managing the soil-water interface in agriculture is critical for sustainable practices, influencing efficient water use for irrigation and limiting agro-chemical application, both crucial for protecting freshwater resources.
Atmosphere
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital for combating climate change. Our system monitors farm-level emissions and tracks the impact of improved practices on reducing emissions. Soil carbon sequestration is a significant opportunity to mitigate the negative impact of greenhouse gas emissions by using the soil as a stable carbon sink. The SWAN system includes soil health monitoring, which tracks changes in soil carbon levels, indicating whether carbon sequestration is occurring on farms.
Nutrients
Balanced nutrient management is essential for sustainable farming. Through the SWAN system, we assess nutrient inputs like fertilizers, feed, and livestock against the nutrients removed through harvested products, crops, or animals per hectare of land. This assessment provides a utilization percentage and excess nutrients per hectare for key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These excess nutrients are potential pollutants. Through soil samples, we monitor nutrient loading to ensure that crops receive the right nutrients without causing environmental harm. Our approach helps farmers maintain soil fertility while minimizing the impact on surrounding ecosystems.
Benefits and versatility of the SWAN System
The SWAN system can be adapted to any type of agriculture that benefits from soil health monitoring. The Trace & Save team collaborates with interested stakeholders, such as companies sourcing agricultural products, value chain actors and industry bodies, to assess and monitor the progress of their farms towards improved sustainability. We provide farmers with insights into aspects of their farm that can be improved for greater sustainability.
Data for the SWAN system is collected from farmers but refined and analysed by trained sustainability researchers, creating robust and reliable data. It is not an auditing system but a partnership with farmers to measure and monitor sustainability, providing insights for improvement and comprehensive insights for stakeholders.
Online Reporting
The SWAN system makes use of the Trace & Save research database, ensuring the consistent, secure, and accurate capture and storage of farm-level raw data. The use of a database allows for innovative and flexible analysis and reporting.
Farmers, consultants, and other stakeholders can log onto the Trace & Save website to view SWAN reports for their farms. New reports are continually developed as required. The reports are linked to the database, meaning any changes made to the database result in immediate updates to the online reports. Year-to-year comparisons show trends in sustainability indicators, providing a clear picture of progress over time.
Soil health is the cornerstone of sustainable farming. At Trace & Save, we measure a range of indicators that reflect soil biological activity, nutrient levels, and physical attributes. Healthy soil supports robust crop growth, enhances water retention, and minimizes the need for chemical inputs. Our comprehensive soil assessments provide farmers with a clear understanding of their soil's condition, enabling them to implement practices that foster long-term soil health and productivity.
Water
Effective water management ensures that farms use water resources efficiently and responsibly. We assess water usage, irrigation practices, and water quality to help farmers optimize their water consumption and protect local water bodies. By monitoring these aspects, we enable farmers to make informed decisions that conserve water and sustain their crops, even in times of scarcity. Managing the soil-water interface in agriculture is critical for sustainable practices, influencing efficient water use for irrigation and limiting agro-chemical application, both crucial for protecting freshwater resources.
Atmosphere
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital for combating climate change. Our system monitors farm-level emissions and tracks the impact of improved practices on reducing emissions. Soil carbon sequestration is a significant opportunity to mitigate the negative impact of greenhouse gas emissions by using the soil as a stable carbon sink. The SWAN system includes soil health monitoring, which tracks changes in soil carbon levels, indicating whether carbon sequestration is occurring on farms.
Nutrients
Balanced nutrient management is essential for sustainable farming. Through the SWAN system, we assess nutrient inputs like fertilizers, feed, and livestock against the nutrients removed through harvested products, crops, or animals per hectare of land. This assessment provides a utilization percentage and excess nutrients per hectare for key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These excess nutrients are potential pollutants. Through soil samples, we monitor nutrient loading to ensure that crops receive the right nutrients without causing environmental harm. Our approach helps farmers maintain soil fertility while minimizing the impact on surrounding ecosystems.
Benefits and versatility of the SWAN System
The SWAN system can be adapted to any type of agriculture that benefits from soil health monitoring. The Trace & Save team collaborates with interested stakeholders, such as companies sourcing agricultural products, value chain actors and industry bodies, to assess and monitor the progress of their farms towards improved sustainability. We provide farmers with insights into aspects of their farm that can be improved for greater sustainability.
Data for the SWAN system is collected from farmers but refined and analysed by trained sustainability researchers, creating robust and reliable data. It is not an auditing system but a partnership with farmers to measure and monitor sustainability, providing insights for improvement and comprehensive insights for stakeholders.
Online Reporting
The SWAN system makes use of the Trace & Save research database, ensuring the consistent, secure, and accurate capture and storage of farm-level raw data. The use of a database allows for innovative and flexible analysis and reporting.
Farmers, consultants, and other stakeholders can log onto the Trace & Save website to view SWAN reports for their farms. New reports are continually developed as required. The reports are linked to the database, meaning any changes made to the database result in immediate updates to the online reports. Year-to-year comparisons show trends in sustainability indicators, providing a clear picture of progress over time.
Soil carbon monitoring
Carbon monitoring involves measuring and tracking the amount of carbon stored in the soil. It is a key component of sustainable land management and climate action efforts, providing essential data for improving agricultural practices, managing carbon sequestration, and enhancing ecosystem resilience.
Benefits of carbon monitoring
Benefits of carbon monitoring
- Informs policies and practices: Provides data to develop and implement policies aimed at increasing carbon sequestration, reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
- Enhances understanding for producers: Helps producers understand the impact of their practices on soil health and productivity.
- Assists in ecosystem management: Facilitates the monitoring and management of carbon stocks in forests, grasslands, and other ecosystems.
Requirements for effective carbon monitoring
- Specialized soil sampling design: Ensures accurate and representative samples that are aligned with global standards.
- Specialized sampling equipment and protocols: Utilizes the right tools and methodologies for precise measurements.
- Attention to detail: Requires meticulous care in the sampling and analysis process.
Trace & Save Services in Carbon Monitoring
Trace & Save can provide a comprehensive carbon monitoring strategy, or collaborate with other stakeholders on global soil carbon monitoring initiatives. Our expertise ensures that carbon monitoring is conducted with the highest standards, supporting sustainable land management and climate action efforts.
Trace & Save can provide a comprehensive carbon monitoring strategy, or collaborate with other stakeholders on global soil carbon monitoring initiatives. Our expertise ensures that carbon monitoring is conducted with the highest standards, supporting sustainable land management and climate action efforts.
Sustainable agriculture research
At Trace & Save, we recognize the importance of research in addressing current and future challenges in farming and the environment. Our research focuses on key areas such as soil health, water conservation, climate change mitigation, economic viability, productivity, and resilience. We aim to support the entire agricultural value chain, from universities and research institutes to farmers, financiers, secondary industries and corporate stakeholders.
Our Research Focus
By investigating farm systems, management practices and technologies, we strive to:
Our Research Focus
By investigating farm systems, management practices and technologies, we strive to:
- Reduce environmental impact.
- Enhance farm productivity.
- Ensure economic feasibility.
- Promote long-term sustainability.
Our findings help shape policies and practices that drive positive change in the agricultural sector.
Our Expertise
Trace & Save boasts a diverse team of highly qualified and registered scientists with extensive experience in:
Our Expertise
Trace & Save boasts a diverse team of highly qualified and registered scientists with extensive experience in:
- Designing research projects.
- Running projects.
- Managing budgets.
- Providing comprehensive written reports and presentations.
- Contributing scientific insight.
Collaborative Research Opportunities
Trace & Save offers assistance in designing and executing research projects or collaborating with other researchers on various initiatives. Our goal is to drive innovation and sustainability in agriculture through rigorous research and collaboration.
Sustainable agriculture workshops
Trace & Save offers a variety of workshops and research days for farmers and other stakeholders. These events are designed to share insights on sustainable agriculture, developed through our extensive research and sustainability assessments.
Our workshops and research days provide:
Trace & Save offers assistance in designing and executing research projects or collaborating with other researchers on various initiatives. Our goal is to drive innovation and sustainability in agriculture through rigorous research and collaboration.
Sustainable agriculture workshops
Trace & Save offers a variety of workshops and research days for farmers and other stakeholders. These events are designed to share insights on sustainable agriculture, developed through our extensive research and sustainability assessments.
Our workshops and research days provide:
- Educational opportunities: Learn about the latest advancements and best practices in sustainable agriculture.
- Interactive sessions: Engage with experts and participate in insightful discussions.
- Networking: Connect with other farmers, researchers, and industry stakeholders.
- Practical insights: Gain actionable knowledge to implement on your farm or in your organization.
Trace & Save can create custom workshops tailored to specific contexts and needs. Whether you are looking for an introduction to the basics of sustainable agriculture or in-depth training for farmers or presentations on technical aspects of sustainable agriculture adoption and assessment, we offer innovative solutions and strategies that promote long-term sustainability in agriculture.
sps app
Sustainable Precision System (SPS) is a Trace & Save developed mobile app, with the aim to support farmers with day-to-day farm management decisions. Trace & Save is passionate about sustainable agriculture and developed this app as a tool to support farmers towards this goal. Learn more on the SPS website