A climate-tech company, AirSmat, has been awarded a landmark contract by the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation (ILO) to spearhead a groundbreaking carbon project with cocoa growers in Côte d’Ivoire.
The high-impact project will ignite a new era of sustainable farming by turning agricultural waste into high-quality biochar, generating verifiable carbon credits, and deploying AirSmat’s powerful digital MRV technology to bring full transparency, traceability, and profitability to every step.
“It’s not just climate action; it’s economic empowerment, rural innovation, and a bold leap toward Africa-led carbon finance,” the firm said
The project will fully rely on AirSmat’s proprietary AnyFarm dMRV (digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) platform, a robust, end-to-end system certified by Carbon Standards International, to deliver unmatched traceability and accountability across the entire carbon value chain.
From the moment cocoa pod waste is collected from smallholder farms, through its transformation into biochar via pyrolysis, to its application on farmlands to restore soil health, every step will be meticulously tracked.
The firm said this data-backed process will culminate in the issuance of high-integrity, verifiable carbon credits, ensuring transparency, compliance, and impact at scale for all stakeholders—farmers, financiers, and regulators alike.
Chief Executive Officer of AirSmat, Soji Sanyaolu, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with the United Nations’ ILO to introduce this transformative model to cocoa-farming communities in Côte d’Ivoire.
“This carbon project is more than just an agricultural intervention; it represents a climate and economic breakthrough for Africa’s smallholder farmers.
“By unlocking the power of agriculture to combat climate change, we’re creating new pathways for sustainable livelihoods, environmental restoration, and inclusive growth across the continent.”
The milestone builds upon AirSmat’s groundbreaking achievements in Nigeria, where the company made history by issuing the very first carbon credit to a smallholder farmer, a unique and practical turning point for Nigeria’s carbon economy.
Since that pioneering moment, AirSmat has rapidly scaled its carbon projects across the country, onboarding over one million smallholder farmers, facilitating the sustainable production of thousands of tonnes of biochar from agricultural waste, and delivering verified, measurable carbon sequestration that directly contributes to global climate goals.
By combining deep agricultural knowledge, advanced digital infrastructure, and unwavering commitment to farmer livelihoods, AirSmat is not just participating in climate finance; it is redefining it from the ground up, proving that African-led innovation can drive global carbon removal efforts at scale.
As part of this transformative project, AirSmat will engage directly with 1,000 cocoa farmers in Sobre, Côte d’Ivoire, supporting them with the tools, training, and technology needed to transition toward more sustainable farming practices.
Central to this effort is AirSmat’s proprietary AnyFarm dMRV application, a robust digital platform that empowers users to track and verify every step of the carbon credit lifecycle, from cocoa pod waste collection to biochar production and final application on farmland.
Available in multiple local and international languages on both Android and iOS, the app enables real-time data capture, GPS geotagging of activities, automated compliance checks, and end-to-end traceability.
Through this platform, participating farmers and stakeholders can generate high-integrity carbon credits aligned with globally recognised standards, ensuring that every tonne of carbon sequestered is both verifiable and market-ready.
This seamless integration of climate-smart agriculture with advanced digital monitoring represents a bold step forward for Côte d’Ivoire’s sustainability agenda and AirSmat’s broader mission to unlock the full potential of Africa’s carbon economy.
Through this strategic partnership with the ILO, AirSmat is embarking on a bold mission to transform agriculture and climate action in Côte d’Ivoire.
The firm said the project is anchored on four key objectives that underscore AirSmat’s impact-driven philosophy.
These include improving soil health and boosting crop productivity by introducing biochar, an organic, carbon-rich soil amendment proven to enhance water retention, nutrient availability, and long-term soil fertility and drive measurable and permanent carbon removal through the scalable production and field application of biochar, helping to combat climate change at the root level while restoring degraded farmlands.
Others are to create an entirely new income stream for smallholder farmers by enabling participation in the voluntary carbon market, where verified carbon credits offer financial returns for climate-positive farming practices, and empower rural communities with world-class technology, hands-on training, and transparent, traceable outcomes using AirSmat’s proprietary AnyFarm dMRV app and carbon tracking ecosystem.
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa-producing country, is now poised to become a beacon of climate-smart agricultural innovation.
The firm said: “AirSmat is proud to play a catalytic role in this transformation by bridging traditional agriculture with frontier climate finance tools.
“This expansion into West Africa marks more than just geographic growth; it signals a deeper, continent-wide commitment to harnessing the untapped power of Africa’s agricultural systems to reverse climate change.
“From the farm to the global carbon market, AirSmat is turning carbon into capital and potential into prosperity.
“AirSmat’s foray into Côte d’Ivoire marks more than just a geographical expansion; it signals the company’s growing influence in Africa.
“Building on its landmark success in Nigeria, the move underscores AirSmat’s commitment to leveraging innovation, data intelligence, and sustainable practices to help West African nations tackle pressing environmental challenges.
“By replicating its proven model in new markets, the company is positioning itself as a key enabler of Africa’s green economy.
“With Côte d’Ivoire offering fertile ground for climate-smart solutions, AirSmat’s expansion comes at a critical time for the continent’s climate action agenda.
“The company’s track record in delivering measurable impact, coupled with its expertise in carbon credit generation, could open fresh opportunities for both local communities and international partners.
“As global demand for credible carbon credits continues to rise, AirSmat’s success story may well inspire a wave of African-led innovation in sustainability—turning environmental responsibility into both an economic driver and a legacy for future generations.”
