2 Friends Help 200+ Farmers Earn From Crop Waste Using AI

Hardik Patel used to see the leftover banana stalks, sugarcane leaves, and maize husks on his Gujarat farm as a burden to clear. Now that waste is earning him money while fighting climate change.

The 35-year-old farmer from Bardoli discovered a new path through Shree Radharani Agrotech. Instead of burning his crop residue or letting it rot, he learned it could generate carbon credits.

Here's how it works. The crop waste gets heated in a low-oxygen environment through a process called pyrolysis. This transforms the biomass into biochar, a carbon-rich material that farmers can add back into their soil.

The biochar improves soil structure, helps fields retain moisture, and boosts nutrient availability. Farmers get a climate solution that actually benefits their land instead of polluting the air.

But proving that carbon was actually saved requires serious technology. That's where Bengaluru-based RenewCred steps in.

Friends Abhimanyu Rathi and Yogendra Panchal founded the company in May 2024 after spending nearly two years developing their carbon-market systems. Their technology uses IoT sensors to track biomass weight, temperature, and pressure during the entire pyrolysis process.

AI and machine learning crunch this data to calculate the exact climate impact and spot any irregularities. An independent third-party verifier reviews everything before carbon credits get issued. A blockchain registry then keeps transparent records to prevent fraud or double counting.

The Ripple Effect

RenewCred has assembled 93 scientists across six countries to build methodologies and verification frameworks that accurately measure climate outcomes. The technology extends beyond crop waste to electric vehicles, solar energy, compressed biogas, livestock methane reduction, and clean cooking solutions.

The startup currently works with 200 to 220 farmers and expects to generate about 100,000 carbon credits this financial year. Each credit represents one tonne of carbon dioxide either reduced or prevented from entering the atmosphere.

For farmers, the numbers matter. RenewCred estimates they could earn Rs 30,000 to Rs 45,000 annually through successful projects. That's real additional income for material they previously viewed as worthless or troublesome.

Hardik and farmers like him no longer see crop residue as just waste to burn or dispose of. With the right technology backing them up, those leftover stalks and leaves have become part of a new climate economy that puts money in their pockets while helping the planet.