How Low-Emission Rice Is Produced in Central Java
A Singapore-based agricultural technology company, Rize, and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL), a research institution also based in Singapore, have agreed to expand their low-emission rice project in Indonesia. Rize and TLL announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the collaboration at the Philanthropy Asia Summit in Singapore on Tuesday, 19 May 2026.
“The joint project with TLL demonstrates that climate-smart farming practices can go beyond pilots and deliver real, large-scale impact. It is a significant achievement,” said Sheetal Sharma, Head of Innovation and Carbon at Rize, after announcing the MoU.
Both organisations launched a field trial of low-emission rice production in Central Java, one of which is in Grobogan, in July 2025. The large-scale field trial is a science-based effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation without compromising yields or farmers’ welfare.
The field trials in Central Java were supported by the Philanthropy Asia Alliance, an alliance of philanthropic organisations operating in Asia, and run in collaboration with the Agricultural Assembly and Modernisation Agency (BRMP). Over two growing seasons, the trials tested a combination of water and nutrient management, with emissions measured at field level using laboratory standards. Impacts on soil health, crop yields, and farmers’ incomes were monitored simultaneously.
After almost a year of operation, from production on land of 93 hectares, there was a 5 percent increase in yields thanks to optimised fertiliser dosing from TLL. Although yields rose, methane emissions fell by 30-35 percent compared with conventional practices. Rize also noted a 5-6 percent increase in gross harvest income during the trials. The programme reached 173 smallholder farmers.
This is why, Rize Chief Executive Officer Dhruv Sawhney added, the organisations would continue their strategic partnership for the next five years to move low-emission rice production from large-scale validation to commercial scale. The newly updated MoU bridges cutting-edge scientific innovation with field deployment to support sustainable rice cultivation that improves farmers’ welfare while reducing climate impact.
“This partnership shows that improving paddy farming does not require farmers to sacrifice anything. It is an important finding,” said Dhruv Sawhney.
The five-year collaboration aims to produce 50,000 tonnes of sustainable, low-emission rice. In addition to Indonesia, the project is also being implemented in Vietnam.
TLL contributes by bringing expertise in agribiology, including the development of climate-resilient rice varieties, soil microbiome science, and strict agronomic protocols to ensure emissions reductions can be credibly measured and verified. Rize translates this scientific approach into real impact through intensive farmer engagement, field-scale programmes, generating high-quality data trusted by markets, governments, and international carbon standards.
The two organisations will deepen cooperation in research, implementation, and market development, with a particular focus on building a traceable and verifiable sustainable rice supply chain to meet the needs of commercial buyers and to support Singapore’s food security.
Through this partnership, both parties aim to realise something the industry has long discussed but rarely achieved: a verifiable and traceable supply of low-emission rice that links on-field innovation with commercial needs and food security. “Rice is the world’s most important staple crop for food, water, and climate. Therefore, how we manage it matters,” said Dhruv Sawhney.
Rize is an agricultural technology company focused on decarbonising rice cultivation. Rize’s mission is to empower farmers, transform rice farming, and heal the planet, with a target to reduce 500 million tonnes of CO2e emissions by 2040. TLL, founded in 2002, is a non-profit organisation focused on molecular biology and genetics research with impacts across agriculture, food, industrial biotechnology, and human health.