Two Friends Turn Farm Waste Into Income Using AI

Hardik Vaghasiya used to stare at mountains of leftover stalks, leaves, and biomass after every harvest, wondering how to clear it all. The 35-year-old farmer from Gujarat grows bananas, sugarcane, and maize, and while the crops fed his family, the waste just sat there costing him time and money to remove.

For years, many farmers in his area did what seemed easiest. They burned it. The practice cleared fields quickly but sent smoke into the air and released carbon that plants had spent months capturing from the atmosphere.

Hardik never imagined that same waste could become valuable. "As farmers, we think about crops, rainfall, soil and market prices," he says. "Carbon credits were not something we discussed."

That changed when he learned about RenewCred, a company founded by Abhimanyu Rathi and Yogendra Panchal in Bengaluru. The two friends built a platform that helps farmers turn agricultural waste into biochar, a carbon-rich material that locks carbon into soil instead of releasing it into the air.

When this climate benefit gets measured and verified, it creates carbon credits that can be sold on global markets. Suddenly, the waste becomes worth something real.

Abhimanyu, 33, had spent years working across climate and sustainability sectors before launching RenewCred in May 2024. A chemical engineering gold medalist with qualifications in environmental law, he noticed a critical gap in climate action.

"People were doing good work for the planet but had no way to monetize that impact," he tells The Better India. Climate solutions existed, but farmers and small businesses lacked the market infrastructure to turn environmental benefits into income.

Rather than rushing to launch, the founders spent nearly two years building credible systems. They assembled a scientific community of 93 scientists across six countries to develop trusted methods for measuring and verifying carbon benefits.

The approach is working. Hardik now sees his crop residue differently. Through partners like Shree Radharani Agrotech, he's learning how material he once viewed as garbage can contribute to climate solutions while generating extra income.

The Ripple Effect

The impact reaches beyond individual farms. When farmers stop burning crop residue, air quality improves in surrounding communities. The biochar created from waste enriches soil health, potentially boosting future harvests. And the carbon credits generated connect rural Indian farmers to global climate markets, creating income streams that didn't exist before.

The model transforms waste management from a cost into an opportunity. Instead of paying to clear or burn residue, farmers can now see it as a resource with measurable value.

What started as two friends tackling a climate problem has become a bridge between traditional farming and modern carbon markets. Farm waste that once choked the air is now helping farmers breathe easier, financially and literally.