IORA raises Rs 8.5 Cr funding from Caspian Debt

Iora Ecological Solutions (IORA), an enterprise focused on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate action and ecosystem conservation, has raised Rs 8.5 crore (approximately $1 million) in debt funding from Caspian Impact Investments (Caspian Debt).

The funds will be used to scale its MegCare agroforestry and land restoration program in Meghalaya, which aims to restore degraded landscapes, improve forest cover, and enhance rural livelihoods through sustainable agroforestry practices, the company said in a press release.

Founded in 2009 by Swapan Mehra, IORA is an environmental advisory firm with expertise in environmental finance, policy, scientific research, and project implementation. The company says it has implemented over 200 projects globally in the last 15 years, focusing on conservation, natural resource management, and climate mitigation and adaptation.

According to IORA, MegCare will benefit 80,000 smallholder farmers across Meghalaya through a carbon finance model that links ecosystem restoration with sustainable income generation.

IORA claims its solutions for climate change, agriculture, forestry, and biodiversity conservation span 20 million hectares across 27 Indian states, two union territories, and several countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.