Tripura Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Monday said that carbon credits have the potential to not only combat the adverse effects of climate change but also open up new avenues of income for farmers.

Speaking at a tree plantation programme organized by the Rotary Club of Aspiring Agartala at Swami Vivekananda College in Mohanpur, Nath highlighted the growing importance of sustainable practices in agriculture.

“Modernization has accelerated global warming. Excessive carbon dioxide in the air damages the environment, but in soil, it benefits agriculture and boosts production. To balance this, we must plant more trees to absorb carbon dioxide and cool the planet,” he said.

Nath projected that in the coming years, India’s demand for carbon credit trading would grow by nearly 30 percent. He added that both farmers and the government could sell carbon credits in the international market and generate additional income by adopting renewable energy and modern farming techniques.

“One carbon credit equals one metric ton of carbon dioxide absorbed and stored in the soil. Many are still unaware that carbon itself can be traded. Through sustainable practices like organic farming, climate-smart agriculture, tree plantation, and afforestation, farmers can store carbon in soil and sell credits both domestically and globally,” Nath explained.

He stressed that this initiative would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle global warming but also ensure farmers’ economic self-reliance and social development.

The Minister also lauded the Rotary Club of Aspiring Agartala for its social service initiatives.