Our interventions are rooted in deep science.
Rice farming is a major source of methane emissions.
Fields are submerged and soils deprived of oxygen during most of the growing season. Specialized microbes in the soils produce methane instead of carbon dioxide when they live under zero oxygen environments. Removing water from the rice crop during the growing season, and only replacing it as the plants produce grain, allows air to enter into the soil and reduces methane emissions from rice paddies by as much as 65%.
Methane is 25x more harmful to the atmosphere than CO2, and is responsible for one-third of global warming. Over 10% of global methane emissions are attributed directly to rice farming, mostly by smallholders in developing countries.
Efficiently managing water in rice paddies reduces methane emissions as well as costs.
By training and giving farmers access to sustainable rice farming practices that significantly reduce global methane emissions, we are providing the means for farmers to participate in, and benefit from, the sophisticated global trade in carbon credits. By aggregating hundreds of thousands of very small landholders we enable them to participate in markets that previously excluded them.
Farm benefits beyond emissions
Improved farm production: reduced water and pumping costs, better soil structure, better soil moisture control, more efficient use of farm equipment, improved pest management, more efficient fertilizer use
Higher crop yields: Absolute increase in yield along with reduced cost of production result in higher farm incomes
Human health: better grain quality, appropriate fertilizer and pest control applications, safe levels of agricultural chemical residues on grain
Environment: elimination of ground water contamination, air quality improved as paddy residue is not burned
Socio-economic benefits: increased family income, access to credit and timely purchase of inputs, season – long monitoring, and access to clinics, child care and education