Isometric has certified the Rice Methane Reduction Protocol, which sets out requirements and procedures for projects that use alternative cultivation techniques such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD) to reduce the amount of methane produced during rice cultivation.
This is Isometric’s third protocol for superpollutant reduction, following the Landfill Methane Flaring and Utilization Protocol and the HFC and ODS Recovery and Destruction Protocol. Mitti Labs, a leading developer of rice methane reduction projects, has become the first supplier registered to issue credits under the certified protocol.
Certification follows a comprehensive public consultation that included feedback from buyers, suppliers, and leading academics. Full details on the evolution of the protocol and how Isometric addressed feedback from the consultation are available in the changelog and public consultation summary.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and reducing it is an important solution for mitigating near-term climate change. Over a 100-year period, a tonne of methane has approximately the same global warming impact as 28 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Every year, over 170 million hectares of rice are harvested around the world, releasing approximately 30 million tonnes of methane—12% of annual methane emissions globally.
These emissions can be reduced through AWD, a water management practice that involves controlled drainage events during the rice growing season. By temporarily lowering the water table and allowing the soil to aerate, AWD interrupts the low-oxygen conditions that enable methane production. This approach can reduce methane emissions by over 50% without impacting rice yields, while simultaneously reducing water usage by 25%.
The Rice Methane Reduction Protocol requires projects to monitor water levels across all fields, verified by Isometric using remote sensing technologies. The protocol provides a flexible quantification framework which incentivizes direct measurements. It also enables crediting using emissions reductions estimates developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with a conservative discount applied to address measurement uncertainty.
Mitti Labs uses satellite data, AI, and on-the-ground operations to reduce methane emissions from rice farming and generate rice-based carbon credits. Since launching in 2023, the company has built an end-to-end framework combining technology with farmer engagement. Mitti Labs now works with more than 70,000 farmers across South India to implement practices like AWD.
Xavier Laguarta Soler, Co-founder of Mitti Labs, said:
“Direct measurement through robust stratification is essential to credibly quantifying emissions from rice farming and issuing high-integrity credits. We're excited about Isometric's new certification protocol, as it charts the path forward for scaling methane reduction in rice farming, with rigor and scientific credibility.”
This protocol was developed in line with the Isometric Standard, through collaboration between Isometric’s in-house Science Team and reviewers from Isometric’s independent Science Network of more than 400 experts and practitioners.
Read about Isometric's protocols for Landfill Methane Flaring and Utilization and HFC and ODS Recovery and Destruction.
