Date:20/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/03/20/stories/2007032004961100.htm

Back World Bank moots livelihood project in rural AP, Orissa

K.V. Kurmanath

Agro forestry scheme to earn carbon credits for farmers

The five-year project envisages reforestation of 3,500 hectares of degraded lands.

Hyderabad March 19 The World Bank has mooted a rural livelihood project in the backward districts of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh that is aimed at encouraging agro forestry, helping the farmers generate carbon credits that give them additional income.

Joining World Bank in this project is JK Paper and the Hyderabad-based VEDA (Vanitha Empowerment, Development and Advancement) Mutually Aided Cooperative. While VEDA is responsible for the implementation of the project, JK Paper is involved in research and development and supply of clonal saplings. It also interacts with farmers and offer extension support.

REFORESTATION

The project called `Improving rural livelihoods through carbon sequestration by adopting environment friendly technology based agro forestry practices' would be implemented in Koraput, Kalahandi, Rayagada (Orissa) and Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The five-year project envisages reforestation of 3,500 hectares of degraded lands in these districts. It aims at removing carbon dioxide in these areas and studying how these activities generate high-quality greenhouse gas emission removals that could be measured and monitored.

PROJECT BENEFITS

According to a World Bank paper, the project would arrest soil corrosion and water erosion and help reclaim lands. One of the objectives also includes reduction of dependence of the paper industry on natural forests. Interestingly, the project also aims at evolving a model in development of institutional mechanisms to aid the sale of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) and test carbon purchase transactions at the grassroots level.

The cooperative society has established VEDA Climate Change Solutions Ltd (VCCSL) to focus on issues related to carbon revenue. It would help farmers in entering agreements with BioCarbon Fund for getting CERs.