Nueva Ecija first LGU in SE Asia to earn carbon credits

Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija – The Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija is the first local government to earn from carbon credits using biochar technology.

According to Governor Aurelio Umali, the earning from carbon credits using biochar technology is a testament that a province can push for the development of agriculture while ensuring the protection of the environment and earn in the process.

He added that the project started during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to answer the challenges in the agricultural and environmental sector of Nueva Ecija.

The NuevaChar project was aimed to make biochar, a fertilizer made from palay husks that was either burned or left to rot. Biochar was found to increase the quality of the soil, increasing the harvested rice, and helps lessen air pollution thru carbon sequestration.

The Provincial Government earned P441,045 from Alcom Carbon Markets Philippines as earnings from selling carbon credits in the global market.

Carbon credits are permits that allow the owner to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases (GHGs). One credit allows the emission of one ton of carbon dioxide or the equivalent of other greenhouse gases. Carbon credits are also known as carbon allowances.

According to Alcom, the rice harvested rose by 20 percent, while the onions harvested rose to 15 percent on farms that use biochar. Umali said that the quality of produce have also risen for farmers who took part in the biochar project.

In 2024, around 370 tons of biochar were distributed to 27 towns and five cities of the province under the supervision of the Provincial Agriculture Office.

Umali said that the success of the biochar project is not only for the province, but for the whole country as well. He added that this is a concrete example of new style of governing that incorporates nature, livelihood, and climate.