The Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST) has delivered direct cash transfers to over 54,000 rural households through community carbon markets. By connecting smallholder farmers to voluntary carbon offsets, the initiative has sequestered 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 across 34,000 hectares of restored land. This model focuses on making conservation profitable for local farmers, generating approximately $8.7 million in payments. Participants have used these funds to diversify into sustainable enterprises like honey production, fish farming, and cocoa, reducing reliance on traditional donor aid.
