States » EastPosted at: Jul 3 2025 12:35PM


IORA raises Rs 8.5 cr to scale MegCare agroforestry in Meghalaya

Shillong, July 3 (UNI) Iora Ecological Solutions, an Indian enterprise specialising in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate action and ecosystem conservation, has secured Rs 8.5 crore ($1 million) in debt funding from Caspian Impact Investments (Caspian Debt) to scale its flagship MegCare agroforestry and land restoration program in Meghalaya.

MegCare- (Meghalaya Carbon Agroforestry for Community Resilience and Ecosystems)- is a 30-year, community-led initiative aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, improving forest cover, and enhancing rural livelihoods through sustainable agroforestry.

“We are excited to operationalise a pioneering carbon-linked financing model that integrates nature-based solutions with measurable climate impact,” Founder and CEO of Iora Ecological Solutions, Swapan Mehra said.

“This collaboration strengthens our partnership with the Government and communities of Meghalaya, and accelerates agroforestry initiatives that enhance carbon stocks, springshed health, and ecosystem resilience,” he said.

The debt deal, which it claims to be one of the first in India to be underwritten against future Carbon Removal Units (CRUs), was strategically facilitated by the Rabo Foundation and Rabobank’s ACORN platform, which promote climate-linked finance for smallholder agroforestry.

The CRUs- verifiable carbon credits generated through land restoration under MegCare- will be monetised in global carbon markets, creating long-term value for both communities and investors.

The project is being implemented in partnership with the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), a state government agency, it also drives long-term socio-economic benefits for local communities and smallholder farmers.

The programme has already disbursed its first round of carbon payments to participating farmers-10,400 in total- who planted diverse trees across 22,000 hectares in the state’s biodiversity-rich landscape. These efforts have improved biodiversity, restored springsheds, enhanced soil carbon storage, and expanded biomass cover.

In this first round, the sale price of each CRU reached EUR 40- the highest per- tonne carbon payment ever made to farmers in India, and nearly four to five times the global average, according to Iora.

With a target of 1.5 lakh hectares and 25 million tonnes of CO₂ sequestration, MegCare is poised to become India’s largest carbon removal programme. It aims to directly benefit 80,000 smallholder farmers in Meghalaya by linking ecosystem restoration with sustainable income generation.

“This investment by Caspian Debt to IORA, supported by Rabo Foundation, marks an important milestone for the MegCare programme. It strengthens the partnership between MBDA, IORA, and Rabobank ACORN, and furthers Meghalaya’s vision to restore community lands while ensuring fair returns for their role in climate action,” Principal Secretary Sampath Kumar said.

Looking ahead, Rabobank ACORN and the Meghalaya government are exploring further climate finance innovations to advance ecosystem restoration and improve rural livelihoods, contributing to India’s 2070 net-zero target.

Founded in 2009, Delhi-based IORA has emerged as a leading environmental advisory firm, blending scientific research, environmental finance, policy expertise, and on-ground implementation. Over the past 15 years, it has executed more than 200 projects across India and abroad in areas including climate change, biodiversity conservation, forestry, and sustainable agriculture.

IORA’s footprint now extends across 20 million hectares in 27 Indian states, two union territories, and parts of Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.
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Tags: #IORA raises Rs 8.5 cr to scale MegCare agroforestry in Meghalaya
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