Read the passage provided below carefully:
The promotion of soil carbon sequestration as a dual mechanism for climate mitigation and agricultural resilience has gained significant traction in national public policy agendas. Proponents argue that compensating agricultural producers through market-based carbon credits creates a self-sustaining financial incentive for adopting conservation practices such as reduced tillage, crop rotation, and cover cropping. However, relying predominantly on market valuation mechanisms introduces critical structural vulnerabilities into rural economies. Carbon market volatility often leaves smallholder farmers exposed to unpredictable revenue fluctuations, while complex measurement, reporting, and verification protocols impose disproportionate compliance costs on resource-constrained landholders. Furthermore, focusing narrowly on quantifiable soil carbon metrics tends to overshadow broader, non-monetizable ecological dimensions, such as indigenous biodiversity restoration, soil microbial health, and local hydrology management. Effective agricultural land governance therefore requires moving beyond exclusive market incentives toward hybrid institutional frameworks. Such frameworks must strategically integrate state-backed agronomic extension services, community-led stewardship initiatives, and targeted public subsidies to ensure that ecological transitions remain socially equitable and resilient over the long term.
Based on the passage provided above, which of the following statements accurately capture the author's primary arguments regarding soil carbon sequestration policy? Select all that apply.
- Market-driven carbon credit schemes expose smallholder farmers to revenue instability and burdensome verification costs.Answer
- BSoil carbon sequestration policies should prioritize market-based valuation over public subsidies to achieve long-term financial self-sufficiency.
- Sustainable land governance requires hybrid institutional models that integrate broader ecological and social goals beyond carbon metrics alone.Answer
- DSoil carbon markets fail in developing regions primarily because smallholder farmers lack technical knowledge regarding conservation tillage.