Bayer, GenZero, Shell, and Mitsubishi join forces to promote sustainable rice farming in India

The Good Rice Alliance (TGRA), formerly known as the Sustainable Rice Carbon Programme, which is focused on advancing sustainable rice farming practices in India, has thus far enrolled more than 10,000 farmers in the program, covering over 25,000 hectares of farmland. It will reduce approximately 100,000+ tCO2e of methane emissions from rice cultivation, annually.

TGRA now aims to expand the program by adding nearly 8,500 hectares, streamlining the scientific measurement of GHG emissions from rice paddies and strengthening the farmer handholding and support system. "The program will explore scale-up based on the experiences of the first two years of implementation. Currently, TGRA covers major rice-producing states in the country, like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal," says a company press release.

Through TGRA, Bayer, GenZero, Shell Energy India and Mitsubishi Corporation are committed to reducing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable agricultural practices in rice cultivation. The collaboration aims to empower farmers and promote environmentally friendly methods of rice cultivation. The program has also managed to reduce the cost of cultivation of the majority of the enrolled farmers.

Simon Wiebusch, President, Bayer South Asia said, “At Bayer, our mission is to increase agricultural productivity with fewer resources while restoring ecological balance. At The Good Rice Alliance (TGRA) we emphasize that quality is the cornerstone of our mission, which aims to revolutionize rice cultivation practices. With most of the farmers experiencing tangible benefits from adopting regenerative practices, we are hopeful that our collaborative efforts will lead to the widespread adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices, fostering thriving communities of smallholder farmers nationwide.”

Suhas Joshi, India Carbon Initiative lead at Bayer, noted the importance of maintaining high project standards: “Increased scrutiny of voluntary carbon markets has highlighted the need for robust, high-quality projects. Achieving excellence requires hard work, attention to detail, and a willingness to tackle unglamorous tasks. At TGRA, we're focusing on the fundamentals of Total Quality Management.”

With a keen focus on sustainability, the alliance is closely aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and plans to work together with smallholder farmers from the grassroots to drive maximum co-benefits and mitigate climate change.