As climate change-linked phenomena are making agriculture hard, more and more farmers across India are leaving farming and choosing other livelihoods. Farmers of Maharashtra are no exception to this. But Maharashtrian farmers are changing their fate by accepting sustainable practices and participating in the Farmers for Forests (F4F) program, which is a carbon credit program. The program pays them anything from Rs 25,000 to Rs 65,000 per acre per year in revenue from both the sale of carbon credits and the harvest of trees. Let’s read further about how Maharashtrian farmers are profiting from carbon credits.

Reducing carbon emissions in agriculture is necessary, but putting the responsibility on farmers is unjust. A strong carbon credit system can protect their interests as they transition to more sustainable practices.

What are Carbon Credits?

A carbon credit is the type of license system that allows the emitters to emit a certain quantity of CO2 or other greenhouse gases. One tonne of Co2 is equivalent to One credit of Co2 emission.

One carbon credit in this credit scheme is equal to one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions. There is a customer, such as private firms, that can purchase carbon credits to offset their emissions, and a seller, in this example, the farmer who cuts emissions or sequesters carbon and so receives compensation. Carbon credits may thus not only provide farmers with a financial incentive to transition to alternative agricultural practices. It also allows them to receive money for every unit of greenhouse gas eliminated from the environment.

Also Read: From Where Can We Buy Carbon Credits Online?

How Are Maharashtrian Farmers Profiting From Carbon Credits?

Maharastra farmers are becoming climate champions thanks to a program to offset carbon emissions using natural resources. These initiatives serve communities by assisting them in both mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Farmers for Forests (F4F) is now implementing a carbon credit initiative that includes farmers from Krushnar in Etapalli. The F4F is a social company with its headquarters in Pune that works closely with local people to maintain and restore India’s biodiverse forest cover. The project is located over 1,000 hectares (2,400 acres) in six districts in Maharashtra and aims to increase tree cover in underused agricultural and common areas. It was built with funding from charitable and CSR sources.

According to conservative estimates, a farmer participating in the F4F scheme can earn between Rs 25,000 and Rs 65,000 per acre per year from the combined carbon credits and timber sales. This is a huge increase compared to the Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,00 earned from rice farming. Income is also inconsistent since the unseasonal rains and flooding in Gadchiroli have regularly resulted in poor paddy harvests.