Incentivizing sustainable agricultural practices using satellite technology
The project tests whether satellite-verified, performance-based incentives can increase adoption of water-efficient rice practices among smallholder farmers in Telangana and Karnataka, while reducing the high monitoring costs that limit small-farm carbon markets. It uses a randomised controlled trial with 400 farmers, creating virtual land consolidation for verification, and aims to help states shift from costly blanket subsidies to targeted environmental payments that protect groundwater and sustain farmer incomes.
