Mitti Labs Gets 97,000 Rice Methane Certificates from Isometric

Mitti Labs has received more than 97,000 carbon certificates for reducing methane emissions from rice cultivation, marking the first issuance of rice methane certificates by climate certification company Isometric under its superpollutant programme. The certificates relate to projects in South India and will be delivered to corporate buyers, including Google and Salesforce.

Announced on November 5, the issuance represents a significant step towards scaling up efforts to reduce methane emissions from agriculture. Each certificate represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions avoided and has been independently verified under Isometric's Rice Methane Reduction Protocol.

The development comes amid growing concerns over rising atmospheric methane concentrations, which reached a record high in 2025, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Methane is responsible for around one-third of global warming to date, making its reduction an important component of climate mitigation efforts.

Rice cultivation is a major source of methane emissions, generating approximately one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, comparable to the emissions of the global aviation industry. Most of these emissions originate from continuously flooded rice fields, where oxygen-deficient soil conditions encourage methane-producing microorganisms.

Mitti Labs is addressing the problem by promoting Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), a water-management practice that involves periodically draining and reflooding rice fields instead of maintaining continuous flooding throughout the growing season. The company claims that the practice can reduce methane emissions by up to 50 per cent and water consumption by 40 per cent without affecting crop yields.

Its programmes currently involve more than 100,000 farmers across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha. Revenue generated through the sale of carbon certificates will help finance the company's projects and create employment opportunities in local communities. A share of the revenue is also expected to be transferred directly to participating farmers from early 2027.

The issuance comes amid increasing corporate interest in financing projects targeting superpollutants such as methane, which have a significantly higher warming impact than carbon dioxide over shorter periods. Google and Salesforce have signed agreements with Mitti Labs for a combined 1.5 million tonnes of emissions reductions.

The certification process was facilitated by Isometric's AI-powered Certify platform, which automates data verification and calculations. The supporting evidence and calculations for the certificates have been made publicly available on Isometric's registry.

Mitti Labs said the certification would help expand demand for rice methane reduction projects and enable the company to scale up its programmes. The company combines satellite technology, artificial intelligence and field operations to promote climate-resilient rice cultivation.