The government will pay Rs 2.9 crore to 2,550 farmers in Punjab and Haryana who adopted regenerative farming practices and earned carbon credits for the first time.
Dr M.L. Jat, secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and director general of ICAR, initiated the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the 2,550 farmers.
“The carbon payments provide an economic incentive for practices that also generate environmental benefits,” Jat said.
The selected farmers used practices such as Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), reduced tillage and crop residue management between 2019 and 2022. These methods reduced greenhouse gas emissions and increased soil carbon. The farmers’ eligibility for carbon credits was independently verified before the credits were issued.
The payments are part of “Aadi”, a farmer carbon programme launched by Grow Indigo in 2019 with technical guidance from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The programme covers more than two million acres and involves over 100,000 farmers across seven states. It issues agricultural carbon credits under the Verra VM0042 methodology.
Jat said DSR reduces irrigation requirements compared with conventional transplanting, while better crop residue management can help reduce stubble burning and related air pollution.
Jat added that for the enrolled fields between 2019 and 2022, the programme estimates that it saved 45 billion litres of water and prevented more than 200,000 tonnes of crop residue from being burned. This avoided an estimated 1,000 tonnes of PM2.5 emissions.
The programme supports the wider transition to regenerative agriculture in Punjab and Haryana. It focuses on crop residue management, water conservation and farming systems that improve soil health and climate resilience.
ICAR institutions have provided scientific and field expertise in areas including greenhouse gas accounting, crop simulation modelling, soil sampling protocols, device validation, field team training, and satellite and remote sensing methods.
During his visits to Punjab under the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan and other engagements with farmers and agricultural institutions, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has stressed the importance of farmer-focused agricultural research and the adoption of sustainable technologies. He has also highlighted direct-seeded rice and crop residue management practices.
During his visit to Punjab in June 2025, Chouhan interacted with farmers and reviewed farming practices as part of the campaign.
