India and Philippines agricultural carbon markets: EcoGuard CEO on digital MRV, farmer aggregation, and equitable climate finance

Yashodhan Ramteke, CEO of EcoGuard Global, argues that India and the Philippines can lead the next phase of agricultural carbon markets by focusing on digital measurement, reporting and verification (dMRV), strong farmer aggregation models, and transparent benefit sharing. In an interview with AgroSpectrum, he explains that uniform farming systems are not required for success. Instead, robust digital tools like satellite monitoring and GIS, combined with existing farmer networks such as India's FPOs and the Philippines' coconut cooperatives, can integrate millions of smallholders into global climate finance. Ramteke cautions that carbon credits should remain a supplementary income stream for farmers, not a replacement for subsidies or food production. He emphasizes that fair revenue sharing, farmer data ownership, and transparent distribution are critical for market credibility. The Philippines' uniform coconut plantations offer advantages for baseline setting and verification, while India's diverse agriculture provides scale and multiple methodology opportunities. The emerging India-Philippines carbon partnership could democratize climate finance if governance choices prioritize local control over centralized extraction of data and carbon value.