New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- For the first time in India, more than 2,500 farmers in Punjab and Haryana have earned Rs.2.9 crore for generating verified soil carbon credits by adopting regenerative farming practices, the Union agriculture ministry said on Thursday.

The first issuance covered around 30,000 acres and more than 50,000 carbon credits, with participating farmers receiving approximately Rs.3,000- Rs.15,000, the ministry said in a statement.

The payments - released at an event organised at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana - are part of 'Aadi', a Grow Indigo farmer carbon programme, a non-government scheme launched in 2019 with technical guidance from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

ICAR director ge...