Netafim unveils maiden Carbon Credits Programme for drip-irrigated rice at COP27

To become globally available to farmers interested in regenerative agriculture practices from 2023

 Israel-based Netafim, an Orbia business and a global leader in precision agriculture solutions, recently announced the first ever carbon credit programme for drip-irrigated rice. The aim of this inaugural program is to dramatically reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation to almost zero, while providing additional long-term income to growers. The first project for this program is located at the LaFagiana Farm in Venice, Italy and will be registered with Verra. The carbon credits programme will be available to farmers around the world interested in regenerative agriculture practices beginning in 2023.

Rice is the most prolific source of sustenance worldwide, approximately accounting for 21 per cent of global per capita caloric intake, and 27 per cent per capita caloric intake in developing countries. A staple for more than half of the world’s population, rice cultivation uses 30-40 per cent of the world’s annual consumption of freshwater while contributing to over 10 per cent of the world’s methane emissions.  

With Netafim’s innovation, carbon credits serve an important role in financially assisting farmers in adopting sustainable or regenerative agricultural practices that reduce or sequester emissions, with each credit representing one ton of CO2 equivalent emissions.

Sameer Bharadwaj, CEO of Orbia said, “Netafim’s carbon credit programme is a pioneering example of our company’s commitment to solving for global food security and economic enablement while contributing to a healthy planet. Through this programme, we are challenging 5,000-year-old assumptions about rice farming and demonstrating better, cleaner and more productive ways to sustain and advance lives around the world, by the billions.”

“If just 10 per cent of paddy rice farmers switch to drip, the drop in emissions will be equivalent to taking 40 million cars off the road,” said Gaby Miodownik, Orbia’s Executive Vice President & President, Precision Agriculture (Netafim). “This program marks the first time a carbon credit is being generated based on the application of irrigation technology.”