SAARC hosts regional training on agricultural carbon trading

A three-day regional training on the prospects and challenges of carbon trading in the agriculture sector in South Asia began on 29 December 2025 in a virtual format, organised by the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC).

The programme brought together policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and private sector representatives from the SAARC region and beyond to examine how carbon trading could support sustainable agriculture and climate action across South Asia.

The inaugural session opened with welcome and opening remarks by Dr Md Harunur Rashid, Director of the SAARC Agriculture Centre. He highlighted the increasing vulnerability of South Asian agriculture to climate change and stressed the need for innovative financial mechanisms to support farmers. He stated that carbon trading, if carefully designed, could promote climate-smart agricultural practices while improving rural livelihoods, emphasising the importance of regional cooperation under the SAARC framework.

The chief guest, Dr Abdus Salam, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, underscored the need for strong research support to generate reliable data for carbon accounting in agriculture. He stated that farmers' interests must be protected and carbon trading initiatives should complement, rather than compromise, food security. He also called for evidence-based policies and regional collaboration to ensure practical and equitable implementation.

As special guest, Tanvir Ahmad Torophder, Director (ARD and SDF) of the SAARC Secretariat, highlighted the importance of policy alignment at the regional level. He stated that harmonised standards, knowledge sharing, and capacity building are essential to make carbon trading accessible to farmers across SAARC member states, noting SAARC's role in facilitating dialogue between governments and the private sector.

The keynote presentation was delivered by Kaushal Bisht, Lead, Partnership and Strategic Alliance at Varaha, who discussed the current and future landscape of carbon trading in South Asian agriculture. He outlined global trends in voluntary and compliance carbon markets and their relevance for smallholder farming systems, noting that practices such as improved soil management, agroforestry, and methane reduction in agriculture hold strong potential for generating carbon credits.

Dr Raza Ullah Khan, Senior Programme Specialist (NRM) and Training Coordinator, presented the objectives and overall overview of the training. He stated that the programme aims to build technical understanding of carbon markets, explore opportunities for agriculture-based carbon credits, and examine institutional and policy challenges specific to South Asia. He added that agriculture can play a dual role as both a carbon sink and a key contributor to climate resilience if managed effectively.