India, 29th October 2025: In a major leap for climate innovation, Varaha, Asia’s leading carbon removal project developer, has announced the issuance of its first Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) credits under the Puro.earth registry. This marks the first-ever, registry-backed, ERW issuance in Asia, and the third globally. Varaha continues to place India and smallholders at large, at the forefront of global climate innovation, becoming the world’s first company to achieve verified carbon credit issuances from two distinct carbon dioxide removal pathways.
The issuance stems from Varaha’ first deployment in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, working primarily with cotton-growing smallholder farmers. Through the application of finely ground basalt rock powder, sourced as a waste byproduct from stone crushing units, Varaha is permanently removing atmospheric CO₂ as stable bicarbonates. The basalt powder used has an ultra-fine particle size, enabling faster mineral dissolution and making it easier to identify and quantify the resulting carbon sequestration signal.
Beyond its global climate contribution, the ERW project is driving tangible agronomic gains. The rock powder helps modulate soil acidity, making nutrients more available for crops and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. This natural enrichment leads to lower input costs, higher yields, and more climate resilient cropping systems, for smallholders farmers. Following strong early signs of weathering, validating the basalt dissolution and CO₂ mineralization process under real-farm conditions, Varaha has already scaled up its deployment to 100,000 tons of basalt powder, across smallholder cotton farms in India. This expansion will significantly enhance both carbon drawdown and soil productivity across thousands of acres.
The basalt is provided completely free to farmers, with Varaha covering the cost of sourcing, transport, and application. This ensures no financial burden on the smallholders while creating shared climate and soil health benefits, while also helping them increase their overall incomes.
“This issuance is not just a validation of our science, but also a testament to how climate action can be deeply inclusive,” said Madhur Jain, Co-founder & CEO, Varaha. “By turning local waste into a global climate solution, we are showing how the path to a cleaner planet runs through the hands of smallholder farmers.”
The project is combining strong science, digital MRV systems, and deep farmer engagement to deliver verifiable impact. The Puro.earth certification ensures transparency and integrity, aligning Varaha’s methods with international carbon removal standards. “Varaha has proven to be a perfect example of Puro’s vision to grow the CDR market – not just by growing each individual project itself but also by growing the number of methodologies in their portfolio of projects. It’s been a pleasure to be working with such a driven team and I’m looking forward to growing impact together with Varaha even more in future!”, said Benno Fuchs, Chief Operating Officer, Puro.earth.
With this milestone, Varaha places India and Asia firmly on the global map of carbon removal innovation. The Khargone ERW project will serve as a blueprint for further expansion across India, turning agricultural lands into carbon sinks.