Sustainable agriculture platform Rize has raised $31 million in its Series B funding round to scale its climate-friendly rice farming solutions across Southeast Asia. Co-founded by Dhruv Sawhney, the platform aims to drastically reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation, which currently accounts for 12% of the global total.

Key Takeaways

  • Rize secures $31 million in Series B funding, bringing its total funding to date to $47 million.
  • Rice cultivation is responsible for nearly 12% of global methane emissions, equivalent to the entire global aviation sector.
  • Rize utilizes Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology to slash methane emissions by up to 50% and water usage by 30%.
  • The capital will be deployed to expand operations in Vietnam and Indonesia, develop AI-powered tools, and boost carbon initiatives.

In a major boost for climate-smart agriculture, Rize, a sustainable rice platform co-founded by Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Dhruv Sawhney, has announced the successful closure of a $31 million Series B funding round. The round comprises $20 million in equity and $11 million in debt financing. This capital injection brings together a powerful coalition of climate-focused and development finance giants, signaling strong institutional confidence in decarbonizing the agricultural sector.

The Environmental Footprint of Rice Cultivation

While rice is a primary staple food for over half of the global population, its traditional cultivation methods pose a severe threat to the environment. Flooded rice paddies create anaerobic conditions that generate massive amounts of methane—a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. Currently, rice farming accounts for approximately 12% of global methane emissions, representing a climate footprint equivalent to the entire aviation industry. Tackling this crisis at scale is imperative to meet global net-zero targets.

AWD: The Technological Solution to Agri-Emissions

Rize addresses this ecological challenge through Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), an innovative irrigation methodology endorsed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Instead of keeping rice paddies permanently flooded, AWD allows the soil to dry periodically. This simple yet highly scientific shift reduces methane emissions by up to 50% and slashes water consumption by 20% to 30%. Crucially, the method does not compromise crop yields; instead, it has been shown to increase smallholder farmer incomes by up to 30%.

Scaling Impact with AI and Market Linkages

Established in late 2022 as a joint vision between Temasek, 100x100, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Rize has scaled its operations tenfold over the past two years. The startup currently works with over 17,000 smallholder farmers managing 50,000 hectares of land across Vietnam and Indonesia. The fresh funding will be utilized to integrate AI-powered tools for agronomy teams, scale export linkages to premium markets requiring low-residue standards, and expand the company's regional footprint across Southeast Asia.