Rize

Rize operates as an agricultural technology firm with a focus on decarbonizing rice cultivation, a major source of global methane emissions. The company was established in 2023 as a joint venture by Temasek, Wavemaker Impact, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and GenZero. Its CEO, Dhruv Sawhney, previously founded the food supply chain startup Wotu Technologies and served as COO of the Indian agritech firm Nurture.farm.

The company's core business revolves around a technology platform designed to help smallholder rice farmers in Asia adopt more sustainable and profitable practices. Rize provides an end-to-end digital platform that assists with farmer onboarding, financing, and tracking of inputs and repayments. The platform captures and analyzes agricultural data to implement techniques like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Direct Seeding Rice (DSR), which reduce water usage and methane emissions. This is complemented by a team of agronomists who work directly with farmers to implement these improved practices. The technology stack includes Measuring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems, GPS mapping, drones, and satellite imagery to monitor farm performance, ensure compliance, and provide data-driven insights.

By facilitating these sustainable methods, Rize aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, cut water use by 20%, and boost farmer incomes by up to 30%. The company makes money by supporting farmers in the marketing of carbon credits generated from their reduced emissions, thereby creating a financial incentive for the transition. In May 2024, Rize secured $14 million in a Series A funding round to enhance its technology and support expansion. The company is initially focused on markets in Indonesia and Vietnam, with plans to expand across South and Southeast Asia.

Keywords: rice decarbonization, sustainable agriculture, agritech, carbon finance, methane reduction, smallholder farmers, agricultural technology, climate resilience, sustainable rice farming, carbon credits, alternate wetting and drying, direct seeding rice, MRV technology, farm management platform, Southeast Asia agriculture, agronomist support, data-driven farming, crop yield improvement, water conservation, farmer livelihood