Mitti Labs Receives Over 97,000 Rice Methane Certificates for South India Projects

Agri-tech venture Mitti Labs announced that its emission reduction projects in South India have received more than 97,000 rice methane certificates from Isometric. These certificates will be delivered to the company's corporate buyers, which include Google and Salesforce. The issuance marks a step in demonstrating that agricultural projects can deliver emissions reductions at scale from rice farming, recognized as a major source of methane.

The development coincides with rising global focus on methane emissions, which hit a new record in 2025 according to the World Meteorological Organisation. A recent IIASA study noted that fully implementing national methane plans would cut emissions by 11 per cent by 2030, leaving a gap to the Global Methane Pledge’s target of 30 per cent below 2020 levels. In response, corporate buyers are increasingly supporting projects targeting superpollutants.

In March, companies including Amazon, Google, JPMorganChase, and Salesforce committed $100 million to superpollutant projects. Google and Salesforce have previously signed agreements with Mitti Labs for a combined 1.5 million tonnes of emissions reductions.

Rice farming accounts for about 1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, driven by methane-producing microbes thriving in flooded paddies. Mitti Labs addresses this by working with more than 100,000 farmers across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Odisha. These farmers are supported in adopting Alternate Wetting and Drying, a practice involving the draining and reflooding of fields at set intervals.

According to the company, this method can reduce methane emissions by up to 50 per cent and cut water use by 40 per cent without affecting crop yields. Revenue generated from the certificates will help fund Mitti Labs’ operations and support local employment. Additionally, a share of the revenue will be distributed directly to participating farmers starting from early 2027.

The certificates were independently verified and issued under Isometric’s Rice Methane Reduction Protocol, representing one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions reduced per certificate. The verification process was supported by Certify, Isometric’s certification platform, which automates manual calculations to streamline issuance.

"The issuance of verified methane reduction certificates marks a significant operational milestone for climate-focused ventures working in agriculture. By connecting grassroots farming practices with major corporate buyers like Google and Salesforce through platforms like Isometric, companies are establishing a credible revenue model for sustainable farming. This approach not only addresses critical environmental targets but also creates a direct financial incentive for local farming communities." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes