Iora Ecological Solutions Private Limited, a leading Indian enterprise specialising in nature-based climate mitigation solutions, has received a novel debt investment of $1 million (INR 8.5 crores) from the country’s impact investment pioneer Caspian Impact Investments (Caspian Debt).
The project is supported by Rabo Foundation and Rabobank’s ACORN platform that support smallholder agroforestry through carbon finance.
Iora’s Megcare program, a strong collaboration with the government and communities of Meghalaya, aims to restore degraded landscapes, enhance forest cover, and promote sustainable land management practices that not only maximise carbon capture but also generate tangible socio-economic benefits for local communities and smallholder farmers.
The capital will enable Iora to scale agro-forestry and land restoration efforts in Meghalaya, a region known for its ecological richness, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration potential. The project includes the creation of Carbon Removal Units (CRUs), quantifiable, verifiable carbon offsets that will be generated through Iora’s agro-forestry and land restoration activities.
These CRUs will comply with rigorous environmental verification protocols, thereby contributing to credible carbon accounting and future-ready climate markets.
This partnership represents a first-of-its-kind financial structures globally, blending nature-based carbon removal with innovative capital deployment. The partners are committed to scaling up this novel pilot to meet the needs of restoration in the state of Meghalaya.
“We are delighted to work with Caspian and Rabobank to launch a novel first of its kind carbon backed finance product that will help us further our collaboration with the state government, communities and land owners of Meghalaya and contribute to enhancing the density and carbon stocks of agroforestry, leading to climate resilience and water security.†said, Swapan Mehra, Founder and CEO of Iora Ecological Solutions.
“This partnership marks an important step for Caspian in pioneering innovative financial solutions that drive impactful climate action,†said Sai Pramodh, Business Head at Caspian Debt.
This transaction was successfully facilitated with the instrumental support of Rabo Foundation and Rabo ACORN. Rabo ACORN will assist Iora in the marketing and trading of CRUs, ensuring efficient participation in carbon credit markets and value realization. Meanwhile, Rabo Foundation has provided critical advisory services to Caspian, enabling a thorough understanding of the regulatory, financial, and operational nuances involved in structuring this innovative investment.
“It goes without saying that this transaction, on World Environment Day, couldn’t be timelier. Our partner IORA is empowering thousands of smallholders’ farmers in Meghalaya through tree planting and agroforestry training as part of the Acorn program - a vital move for climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods. It impacts their lives through higher income generation; while increasing biodiversity levels and local carbon sequestration capacity. We would like to congratulate our partner Caspian and our colleagues at Rabo for enabling such a meaningful and far-reaching impact.†- said Bram Spann and Harm Haverkort, from Rabo Foundation and Rabo ACORN respectively.
Together, Iora, Caspian, Rabo Foundation, and Rabo ACORN remain committed to catalyzing meaningful climate action, advancing sustainable development, and fostering a resilient, low-carbon future.
