The Disruptor Series: IORA – Scaling Nature-Based Carbon Finance in India

Why it matters
Climate change initiatives are increasingly embracing nature-based solutions (NbS), and IORA Ecological Solutions—founded in 2009—is emerging as a powerhouse in this space. Its flagship MegCare agroforestry program blends ecosystem restoration with carbon finance, delivering both environmental impact and livelihoods for farmers in Meghalaya.

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🌄 The Founder & Mission

• Swapan Mehra (Founder & CEO): A Harvard-affiliated environmentalist and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Mehra built IORA into a multidisciplinary advisory group of 75 experts across climate policy, geospatial tech, and ecosystem services.

🌾 MegCare Project: Nature Meets Finance

• Scope & Impact: The ₹8.5 crore debt infusion from Caspian Debt (via Rabo Foundation and Rabobank ACORN) will scale MegCare across 150,000 hectares, benefiting 80,000 smallholder farmers in Meghalaya. Farmers earn income through carbon removal unit sales, while degraded land is restored with native trees and agroforestry techniques.
• Innovative Financing: India’s first carbon-credit-backed loan underwrites future carbon credits—an impactful model that ties rural prosperity directly to climate action.

🌍 National & Global Reach

IORA’s solutions extend over 20 million hectares across 27 Indian states, 2 UTs, and regions in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. The firm has implemented over 200 projects globally in ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and policy advisory.

🤝 Strategic Collaborations

• Caspian Impact Investments provided mission-driven debt backing.
• Rabo Foundation & Rabobank ACORN supported structuring and linking finance with carbon outcomes.
• Government of Meghalaya through Meghalaya Basin Development Authority ensures local implementation and community engagement.

🔍 Why It’s Disruptive

Element	Impact
Climate + Livelihoods	Merges ecological restoration with income generation for rural communities.
Scale & Scope	Ambitious 150k hectares in a 30-year program targeting considerable carbon sequestration.
Innovative finance	Carbon-credit debt underwriting bridges the $‑investor gap, mobilizing funds for NbS at scale.
Tech & Expertise	A team of 75+, expertise across policy, GIS, carbon markets; delivers measurable ecosystem outcomes.

🛤️ Looking Ahead

IORA’s model offers a blueprint for carbon finance–driven agri-restoration. Plans include:

• Scaling MegCare across other regions in Northeast India
• Definitive carbon credit issuance via global voluntary carbon markets
• Collaborations to expand agroforestry credit models into South Asia