The Global Methane Hub has unveiled a globally coordinated research initiative, the Rice Methane Innovation Accelerator, aimed at fast-tracking innovations that reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation without compromising yields or profitability.
Announced during Singapore International Agri-Food Week and the Global Climate-Smart Agriculture Conference in Brasília, Brazil, the Hub committed $30 million to the Accelerator, which seeks to raise at least $100 million from philanthropic, public, and private sources. Early supporters include the Gates Foundation, Philanthropy Asia Alliance, Quadrature Climate Foundation, and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory.
The Accelerator focuses on four key research areas—plant genetics and physiology, soil microbiome, agronomy, and emissions measurement—to expand the suite of strategies for reducing emissions and improving resilience in rice cultivation.
Rice is a staple food for half the global population, particularly in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, contributing up to 70% of daily calories for millions. Over 75% of rice produced globally is consumed directly by humans, compared to 66% for wheat and 12% for maize.
However, flooded rice paddies, which produce more than 90% of global rice, are a major source of methane emissions, accounting for roughly 8% of anthropogenic methane and consuming about 40% of global irrigation water. Anaerobic soil conditions encourage microbes that produce methane, released through the rice plants.
Traditional mitigation strategies, such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), have been promoted for water savings and methane reduction. Yet their effectiveness depends on local infrastructure, agronomic conditions, and farmer capacity, and they have not achieved large-scale emissions reductions.
Without adaptable, low-emission solutions that balance productivity, water efficiency, sustainability, and farmer resilience, rice methane emissions are projected to rise 7% by 2030.
“Methane is a powerful but short-lived greenhouse gas. Reducing emissions from agriculture is essential for climate action and food security,” said Hayden Montgomery, Director of the Global Methane Hub’s Agriculture Programme. “The Accelerator will provide farmers with practical options to grow rice with lower emissions, save water, and build resilience.”
The Accelerator will release its strategic roadmap in early 2026, outlining the readiness and field performance of innovations across the four research areas. Its outputs will complement existing solutions like AWD, which has shown 30–70% emissions reduction potential.
“Rice is a cornerstone of cultural, social, and economic life. Farmers need new tools to adapt and make cultivation more sustainable,” said Dr. Yvonne Pinto, Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
The Accelerator builds on a strong research ecosystem, including AfricaRice, The Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT, national agricultural research institutes, and universities in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases. It is the Hub’s second flagship initiative after the Enteric Fermentation Accelerator, which targets livestock emissions.
