VCCSL has entered into an MoU with Rabobank’s Agroforestry Carbon Removal Units for the Organic Restoration of Nature (Acorn) framework to connect the smallholders with International voluntary carbon markets. “Acorn” generates an additional income stream for Agroforestry projects in developing countries by monetising the removals from agroforestry interventions. 80% of the minimum carbon price of EUR 20/t is transferred to the smallholder farmers after deducting 20% towards project development and management expenses in addition to validation and verification costs.
VCCSL has initiated a pilot project under the Acorn initiative in the eco-region: (https://acorn.rabobank.com/en/projects/vccsl-india/) Deccan Thorn Scrub Forests – Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India
The pilot project is being successfully implemented in association with A.F. Ecology Centre, Anantpur. More than 122 plots for ground truthing have been laid and around 1000 farmers, owning small parcels of agricultural land have been onboarded onto the project. The participating farmers have been practicing agroforestry by raising horticultural plantations, especially sweet lime, and mango along with intercrops such as vegetables, groundnut, etc planted from 2018. This project fetched a price of EUR 31/t in the auction held by Rabobank in November 2022.
Based on the success of this pilot project, it is being replicated in two other ecoregions in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States in India:
- East Deccan Moist Deciduous Forests, Andhra Pradesh – in partnership with RELA
- Central Deccan Dry Deciduous Forests, Telangana – in partnership with Centre for People’s Forestry