TIST Smallholder Reforestation Carbon Project (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania & India)
Retire verified Verra (VCS) carbon credits from this project to compensate measured emissions.
This page is for companies looking to retire verified Verra (VCS) credits from a long-running smallholder reforestation (carbon removals) programme. TIST — the International Small Group and Tree Planting Program — supports tens of thousands of smallholder farmers across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and India to plant and maintain trees. Evertreen acts as an intermediary: we source and retire credits on your behalf and do not own or operate the project. One credit (VCU) = one tonne of CO₂e, an independently verified estimate.
At a Glance
- Project type: Reforestation (ARR — carbon removals)
- Standard: Verra VCS + CCB
- Location: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania & India
- Developer: Clean Air Action Corporation
- Model: Smallholder Small Groups; GPS-monitored trees
- Registry: VCS 2338 — verify on the Verra Registry
- SDGs: 1, 2, 5, 13, 15
- Evertreen's role: Intermediary — credit retirement available through Evertreen (we do not own or operate the project)
Who this project is for
Sustainability and procurement leads who want farmer-led, removals-based reforestation credits with strong livelihood and food-security co-benefits.
What TIST is
TIST, operated by Clean Air Action Corporation, organises smallholder farmers into small groups who plant and maintain trees on their own land, with GPS-based monitoring of individual trees. It is a removals (afforestation/reforestation) programme rather than avoided deforestation, generally regarded as higher-integrity than REDD+. Farmers receive payments and keep the agroforestry benefits — shade, fruit, fuelwood, soil health and food security — and the programme has been verified to the VCS and CCB Standards repeatedly over many years.
What a carbon credit from this project represents
One credit (VCU) = one tonne of CO₂e. A Verified Carbon Unit represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent removed or avoided, independently verified under the Verified Carbon Standard administered by Verra. CO₂ figures are estimates based on the project’s methodology, not exact measurements.
How it is certified and tracked
TIST is registered under Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS 2338) and has been verified to the CCB Standards multiple times. Each issued credit (VCU) carries a unique serial number and is retired in the Verra Registry when claimed. (Confirm the project’s current status, methodology and vintage on the Verra Registry — VCS 2338 before purchase.)
How double counting is prevented
Each credit (VCU) has a unique serial number and is retired only once in the Verra Registry when it is claimed, so the same tonne of CO₂e cannot be sold or counted twice.
Why this is a high-quality carbon project
- Registered under Verra's VCS with repeated CCB verification
- Removals-based (tree planting), generally higher-integrity than avoided deforestation
- Per-tree GPS monitoring across tens of thousands of farmers
- Direct farmer payments plus agroforestry and food-security benefits
- Long operating history across four countries
Evertreen’s role
Evertreen acts as an intermediary for this project. We source Verra (VCS) credits from TIST and retire them on your behalf. Evertreen does not own or operate the project. Credits are independently verified estimates of CO₂e and complement — they do not replace — reducing your own emissions.
What your company can claim
After Evertreen retires TIST credits on your behalf, your organisation can state that it has retired verified Verra (VCS) carbon credits to compensate a measured quantity of CO₂e, supported by the retirement documentation we provide. We do not overstate permanence or additionality, and present credits as a complement to cutting your own emissions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a carbon credit?
A verified carbon credit (a Verified Carbon Unit, or VCU) represents one tonne of CO₂e reduced or removed. Retiring it lets you compensate a measured quantity of your emissions. Credits are estimates based on an approved methodology.
Is TIST verified under the Verra VCS?
Yes — registered under Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS 2338) with repeated CCB verification.
How is it verified and is double counting prevented?
It is independently verified under the Verified Carbon Standard administered by Verra. Each credit (VCU) has a unique serial number and is retired once in the Verra Registry when claimed, so the same tonne can’t be counted twice.
What can my company claim after retirement?
That it retired verified Verra (VCS) carbon credits to compensate measured CO₂e, supported by the retirement documentation we provide. Credits complement, and do not replace, reducing your own emissions.
Does Evertreen own the project?
No. The programme is operated by Clean Air Action Corporation with farmer Small Groups. Evertreen is an intermediary that sources and retires the credits on your behalf.
What are the co-benefits?
Farmer income, agroforestry benefits (shade, fruit, fuelwood, soil health), food security, and women's participation across the Small Groups.
Retire TIST credits. Tell us the tonnes of CO₂e you need to compensate and Evertreen will source and retire Verra (VCS) credits on your behalf.
- Verra (VCS) verified
- CCB-verified
- Smallholder removals · CCB-verified
- Retired on your behalf
- Evertreen acts as intermediary
Reviewed by Evertreen. Last updated: June 2026.
Sources: TIST Program, Clean Air Action, Verra Registry — VCS 2338. Photo: Trees ForTheFuture (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons).
Part of Evertreen’s Verra Carbon Credits for Business.
