Work/Carbon Projects/AFOLU/SALM/ProClimate Agriculture and Agroforestry project - Karnataka [Project ID: 6146]
A sustainable land-use project supporting better farming practices, improved soil health, and long-term climate benefits.
Integrated climate-smart agriculture and agroforestry
The project brings together AWD, SALM, improved fertilizer and agroforestry to support measurable climate outcomes while strengthening the resilience and sustainability of agricultural landscapes.
Farmer-centred implementation and long-term impact
Beyond carbon outcomes, the project focuses on farmer capacity building, sustainable practices, livelihood enhancement, market linkages to fetch premium prices and potential benefit-sharing opportunities, creating value for both farmers and the climate.
Robust monitoring and evidence-based carbon accounting
A combination of geospatial mapping, strong baseline assessment and Digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (dMRV) will create traceable evidence linking farmers, plots, interventions and activities, supporting credible monitoring, verification and future carbon-credit issuance.
The ProClimate Agriculture and Agroforestry Project is an AFOLU initiative focused on advancing sustainable agriculture and land-use practices across Karnataka. The project aims to integrate climate-smart farming, SALM, agroforestry and improved soil, water and fertilizer management to enhance land productivity, farmer resilience and measurable climate outcomes. It is designed to support long-term environmental and livelihood benefits while contributing to credible carbon outcomes.
Karnataka SALM Project Advances with Technical and Field Implementation Planning
20 August 2026
ProClime, together with its implementation partner Vedic Green Solutions (VGS), conducted a two-day technical and implementation planning workshop on 12 and 13 August 2026 for the ProClimate Agriculture and Agroforestry Project – Karnataka. The workshop focused on strengthening the project's readiness for field implementation, validation, verification and future carbon-credit issuance. Key areas discussed included baseline assessment, project boundary delineation, AWD and SALM implementation, agroforestry, fertilizer management, farmer engagement, FPIC, evidence management and quality control.
Baseline & eligibility: Establishing historical agricultural practices and assessing eligibility under VM0042 v2.2.
Geospatial mapping: Developing accurate plot boundaries, GPS/georeferencing and intervention-specific GIS polygons.
Climate-smart farming: Implementing AWD, SALM and improved fertilizer and water management.
Agroforestry: Integrating suitable tree species into agricultural landscapes, with monitoring of planting, survival and growth.
Farmer livelihoods: Promoting sustainable/organic practices, market linkages, value addition and potential premium markets.
Digital evidence: Strengthening the Activity-Based Monitoring System (ABMS) to provide traceable evidence linking farmers, plots, activities and dates.
The project is currently proposed to cover areas including Raichur, Kodagu, Hassan, Uttara Kannada and Chikkamagaluru, with the final district-wise and intervention-wise area to be confirmed following baseline assessment and eligibility verification.
The project team is also working to establish appropriate systems for FPIC, farmer capacity building, technical training, livelihood enhancement and carbon-related benefit-sharing opportunities.
The workshop concluded with a clear action plan covering baseline assessment, double-counting assessment, GIS methodology, agroforestry monitoring, fertilizer data collection, farmer livelihood planning and comprehensive evidence management. The Project aims to bring together climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, improved soil and water management, digital monitoring and farmer livelihood enhancement to support more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscapes.
The science behind the Sustainable Agriculture and Land Management (SALM) project is based on established principles used in AFOLU methodologies under standards such as Verra and Gold Standard. These frameworks rely on scientifically validated approaches to quantify how improved land-use practices lead to measurable emission reductions and carbon removals.
At its core, SALM focuses on enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC). Practices such as reduced tillage, crop residue management, cover cropping, and improved nutrient management increase the amount of carbon stored in soils. This is supported by agronomic and soil science research showing that better land management can convert agricultural soils into long-term carbon sinks.
The project applies a structured methodology (such as VM0042) to estimate emission reduction and removals using baseline vs project scenarios. The baseline represents conventional farming practices, while the project scenario reflects improved practices. The difference between the two determines net emission reductions.
To ensure credibility, these standards require monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems. This includes field data collection, remote sensing where applicable, and periodic third-party audits. Additional safeguards such as permanence assessments and leakage controls are also built in to ensure that the climate benefits are real, measurable, and sustained over time.
HIM Evergreen Integrated Climate Smart Agriculture, and Agroforestry Program [Project ID: 5973]
Location: Himachal Pradesh, India
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