Work/Carbon Projects/AFOLU/SALM/ProClime HIM Evergreen Integrated Climate Smart Agriculture & Agroforestry Project in Himachal Pradesh
Advancing sustainable agriculture, restoring landscapes, and strengthening climate resilience through improved land management and afforestation.
Scale with meaningful climate impact
Spanning 50,000 hectares, the ProClime HIM Evergreen SALM+A Project reflects a landscape-level intervention with the potential to manage approximately 13.5 million tonnes of emissions, positioning it as a high-impact initiative within the AFOLU sector.
Long-term commitment to land and carbon outcomes
With a 40-year permanence period, the project is designed to deliver sustained improvements in soil health, vegetation cover, and carbon sequestration—ensuring that environmental and climate benefits are preserved across decades.
Standardised and credible implementation framework
Aligned with the VM0042 methodology, the project follows a structured and globally recognised approach for monitoring, reporting, and verification, strengthening the credibility and consistency of both land-use outcomes and carbon accounting.
Strategic regional focus with scalable potential
Located in Himachal Pradesh and commencing from 1 June 2026, the project integrates sustainable agriculture, land management, and afforestation practices tailored to the region—creating a replicable model for climate-resilient rural landscapes.
The ProClime HIM Evergreen Sustainable Agriculture & Land Management and Afforestation (SALM+A) Project in Himachal Pradesh is a large-scale AFOLU initiative designed to integrate sustainable farming with landscape restoration and long-term climate impact. Spanning 50,000 hectares, the project focuses on improving soil health, enhancing vegetation cover, and building climate-resilient agricultural systems while generating measurable carbon benefits. Key highlights include:
Scale with meaningful climate impact: With an estimated emission management potential of 13.5 million tonnes, the project delivers significant carbon sequestration alongside biodiversity and land restoration benefits.
Long-term sustainability commitment: A 40-year permanence period ensures that both ecological improvements and carbon outcomes are sustained over decades, avoiding short-term gains.
Credible and standardised framework: Implementation under the VM0042 methodology provides a structured, globally recognised system for monitoring, reporting, and verification.
Strategic regional implementation: Located in Himachal Pradesh and starting from 1 June 2026, the project is tailored to regional conditions, creating a scalable model for sustainable land use and afforestation.
The ProClime HIM Evergreen SALM+A Project is grounded in the science of biogeochemical carbon cycling, where atmospheric CO₂ is captured through photosynthesis and stored in biomass and soils. Within AFOLU systems, a major focus is soil organic carbon (SOC) a stable carbon pool formed from plant residues, root biomass, and microbial activity. Increasing SOC improves soil structure, water retention, and nutrient cycling, while simultaneously acting as a long-term carbon sink.
VM0042 Methodology: Soil Carbon & Emissions Science
Under Verra’s VM0042 methodology, emission reductions are achieved through improved agricultural land management (ALM) practices such as reduced tillage, optimized fertilizer use, cover cropping, and agroforestry. These interventions enhance carbon inputs to soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions like nitrous oxide and methane.
Scientifically, VM0042 requires:
Direct measurement of SOC using validated laboratory techniques (e.g., dry combustion, spectroscopy), ensuring empirical accuracy.
Periodic soil sampling (typically every 5 years) to track changes in carbon stocks over time.
Baseline comparison against historical land-use practices to ensure additionality—i.e., carbon gains are truly incremental.
This combination of field measurement and modeling ensures that carbon sequestration is quantifiable, conservative, and verifiable.
Carbon Sequestration Mechanisms in Practice
The project leverages multiple pathways of carbon removal:
Soil carbon accumulation: Through root biomass and microbial stabilization of organic matter
Above-ground biomass growth: Via afforestation and agroforestry systems
Emission reduction: By lowering synthetic input use and improving nutrient efficiency
These processes are interlinked, with healthier soils driving higher productivity and further carbon capture.
Alignment with Global Research and Projects
VM0042 is considered a leading framework for soil carbon projects globally, with verified carbon units already issued under real-world implementations, demonstrating its scientific robustness.
Ongoing advancements such as improved soil sampling protocols and biogeochemical modeling guidance continue to refine accuracy and reduce uncertainty in carbon accounting.
ProClime Karnataka Hasiru Bhoomi Climate Smart Agriculture and Agroforestry Project
Location: Karnataka, india
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