BeTheVoice

Introduction:

In India, agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for approximately 58% of the population, accounting for around 17% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). India has a diverse topography, resulting in different agricultural practices across various geographies. While the farming sector ensures food security, it has also become a significant contributor to climate change. The existing food systems are responsible for 70% of water extraction from nature, 60% of biodiversity loss, and generate around 1/3rd of greenhouse gas emissions. It is vital to learn that land availability is finite, whereas food demand will always be soaring. We cannot increase air, water, soil, and minerals in our ecosystem, but we can restore and prevent them from further degradation.
A common issue plaguing this whole sector is poor agricultural land management. Whether it is wheat and paddy in the northern part of India or spices in southern India, the commercialization of crops has led to the increased use of inorganic fertilizers, poor residue management practices, and overall poor land management, all in an attempt to increase yields.
Hence, there is a dire need to rectify these practices, while also ensuring that the livelihoods of local/farmer communities are not compromised.

 

Potential Impact and benefits of the carbon credit programs :

One needs to examine the impact and benefits of carbon credit programs, considering the value they offer from social, environmental, and economic perspectives. Primarily, they should benefit local farmers and the ecosystem. It should also contribute to agricultural productivity and offer better yield to the local farmers, which would address bigger challenges like food security. The reduction of expenses related to the use of chemical fertilizers would also provide economic benefits.

In addition, the carbon sequestration by the soil would improve its health and increase the organic matter, which provides the necessary nutrients to the crop. Ultimately, the reduction of GHG emissions helps mitigate global warming.

Carbon credits could attract various activities related to agroforestry, where trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland. This would increase green cover, reduce water retention, and lower water consumption.

10-point agenda of Carbon Credit program / how to do it :

1. Launch projects that will outline the strategy and framework of their implementation.
2. Train farmers who will be part of this project and further help in creating the ecosystem more resilient to the impact of climate change. Offer and share a clear incentive plan for farmers and other stakeholders.
3. Conduct a roundtable and bring all those interested organisations together to create an apex body that will govern the initiative.
4. Include government people and agencies who are working on climate change and forestry, as it will help to provide insights and help in understanding complaints around it.
5. One needs to create a tailor-made program and services that could offer the industry what they need and that exactly creates appeal to their brand and identity.
6, Services/products could be carbon-neutral and a hassle-free association; hence, whoever finds the program suitable for their product/services could join easily.
7. It should cover major certifications in the industry, which helps brands to join and use it to their interest, and contribute to the program’s success financially, and to reach out to the masses.
8. The primary stakeholders could mainly share profit/revenue from this program
9. The carbon project should have the capacity to generate enough carbon credits to transfer money back to the communities/stakeholders, as well as achieve the net-zero goals of the private players.
10. It should be focused on increasing soil carbon sequestration through improved cropland management, and reducing GHG (CO2, CH4, N20) emissions by reducing crop residue burning, mulching, composting, growing green manure crops, using more organic fertilisers, reducing biomass burning, and agroforestry.

 

Way forward – carbon credit is a step towards sustainability with constraints: –

• Carbon Sequestration / Carbon Credit program needs more clarity for effective implementation on the ground
• It needs geographical data of farms and the project area, which needs tobe  clarified
• Identity proof and Bank details of the farmers would be required; however, collecting these details will be a herculean task, as it poses doubts in the farmers’ minds, given that many scams have taken place earlier. Hence, proper communication to project stakeholders about the program is crucial, so that it shouldn’t create doubt or conflicts among farmers.
• Timeline needs to be defined as when community/farmers/stakeholders will get paid, and what the ratio of payment will be.
•  Program officials need to ensure the method of carbon assessment and its impact. We require clarity on the baseline, endline, and methodology to be provided.
• Program officials need to seek programs/organizations that offer the learning and process of getting carbon credits, i.e., one can plan the upcoming project in a way that all the stakeholders could benefit from carbon sequestration credits, as it will be an additional incentive for our farmers. It offers technical and implementation knowledge for carbon credits and trading.
• In conclusion, I believe that we should definitely explore this theme as it holds scope for the upcoming future; moreover, it is one of the trending topics for all premier agencies working on climate change.