KriSHE Carbon: Empowering Women and Revitalizing Gujarat's Farmlands with Carbon Solutions

KriSHE Carbon, a startup in Gujarat, has pioneered a carbon-sequestering solution by teaching women farmers to convert cotton waste into biochar, improving soil health and reducing CO2 emissions. With support from SoilBox, their initiative enhances rural incomes and promotes sustainable agriculture through empowerment of women.

In the arid fields of Gujarat, a remarkable initiative by KriSHE Carbon is turning cotton waste into a climate solution, driven by the power of women. Launched between January and March 2025, the startup has educated women farmers on utilizing low-tech kilns to transform agricultural stubble into biochar, helping to sequester carbon and promote sustainable soil health.

The initiative has achieved significant milestones, training 500 women in biochar production, testing 501 soil samples to gauge health, and sequestering around 40 tonnes of CO2. With funding from the SoilBox program, KriSHE Carbon has provided these communities with the tools to halt environmentally damaging practices, such as stubble burning, and generate steady incomes.

Looking forward to 2025, KriSHE Carbon aims to empower 1,000 women farmers, expand its kiln network for greater biochar production, and engage with carbon credit markets. This groundbreaking approach demonstrates how effective climate solutions can emerge from grassroots empowerment, focusing on women's pivotal roles in transforming and sustaining agriculture.

(With inputs from agencies.)