India, Sept. 17 -- In the heartlands of rural India, agriculture remains more than an occupation--it is a way of life, a cultural backbone, and the source of survival for millions of families. Yet, this way of life is increasingly threatened by the realities of the climate crisis. Erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged dry or wet spells, floods, rising temperatures, soil degradation, and declining net returns from agriculture are squeezing already fragile farm incomes. For smallholder farmers who depend on seasonal harvests for both food and income, even a single failed crop can spell disaster.

Yet, within this challenge lies a transformative opportunity: the emergence of carbon markets as a new possibility for rural prosperity. What once ...