Over 65,000 small holder tree farmers in Northern Uganda are set to earn from carbon credit after Rubicon carbon signed an agreement to supply Microsoft with two million tonnes of carbon credit removal from Kijani forestry project.
Carbon credits are permits that allow the owner to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases.
According to the agreement, Rubicon Carbon will deliver two million high-quality Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) credits to Microsoft for a period of nine years.
Quinn Neely, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kijani Forestry notes that working with Rubicon Carbon enables them to reach more farmers, restore more land, and accelerate climate impact.
The trees are expected to be sustainably turned into charcoal, a highly demanded cooking fuel in the country.
Michael Tebere, the Director of Government and partner relations at Kijani while speaking during a media breakfast yesterday morning at Elephante Commons in Gulu city said that the deal has unlocked the ability for farmers to earn income from future carbon revenue within a year of the trees being planted.
Kijani forestry has since 2020 planted 30 million trees in partnership with farmers spread across 30 districts in Acholi, Lango, parts of Karamoja and Bunyoro.
Tebere says that the carbon credits is a third additional income for tree farmers after earnings from legumes grown on the tree farm, annual incentives for maintaining the trees and charcoal produced from the trees.
Justine Muboka
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