Rethinking Rice Production Will Help Climate-Proof the World’s Favourite Crop

Hayden Montgomery, Agriculture Program Director at the Global Methane Hub

15 December 2025, London: From paella to pilaf, rice feeds half of the world’s population, making it not just a staple but also a symbol – of food security, health and prosperity. Used across cuisines and celebrations, it underpins cultures and connects generations.

It is one of the world’s three most popular grains but a higher proportion of rice is directly eaten by people compared to maize and wheat, which are also used for animal feed and biofuels. 

As the global population continues to rise, so too will demand for the world’s most important staple crop – by as much as 30 per cent by 2050.

But until now, rice farming has had an Achilles’ heel. It generates the very same methane emissions that contribute to the acceleration of climate change. This threatens rice harvests, yields and supplies, creating a negative feedback loop. Not only does this impact global food security, it also jeopardises the livelihoods of farmers, including millions of the poorest smallholders.

The good news is that, with new farming practices and rice varieties, rice production offers hope of reducing emissions while also adapting to rising temperatures and growing water scarcity to meet demand.

Rice produces almost 10 per cent of human-generated methane, mainly because it is typically grown in flooded or puddled fields, which prevents oxygen from reaching the soil, allowing microbes to produce methane. 

Given that methane is 86 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, traditional forms of rice cultivation are therefore a significant source of the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving up temperatures, which then causes harvests to fail and requires significant amounts of irrigation water.

In addition to being more potent than carbon dioxide, methane also has a shorter lifetime in the atmosphere, which means reductions in methane emissions are the fastest way to reverse rising temperatures in the short term.

Attempts to reduce the environmental impact of rice farming have resulted in solutions such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), which involves intermittently draining rice paddies. 

And while evidence shows it reduces methane emissions by 30-70 per cent, yield responses have been mixed, and it requires control over water supplies, which means farmers have not been incentivised or equipped to adopt the technique at scale.

This is why a new research and development accelerator, launched by the Global Methane Hub, is investing in the development and validation of field-ready innovations that reduce methane emissions, and are attractive and practical for farmers.

The Rice Methane Innovation Accelerator will start by developing a strategy for fast-tracking innovations at the cutting edge of plant genetics and physiology, soil microbiome, agronomy, and emissions measurement. This strategy will also serve as a guide for philanthropies, governments, and companies interested in funding high priority rice methane emissions reduction research.

Ultimately, the accelerator will support the development of feasible and ready-to-scale solutions that enable farmers to produce climate-resilient, low methane rice, while ensuring yields are high. 

For example, breeding improved varieties of rice that can thrive without the need for flooding would reduce methane emissions as well as water use without compromising yield.

The result will be a win-win for people and the planet, meeting current and future demand for the most important staple crop without the environmental impact.

Reducing methane emissions from rice farming is one of the most powerful opportunities we have for slowing down climate change in the short term while also feeding a growing population in ever harsher circumstances.

Investing in fast-tracking solutions that both meet farmers’ needs and improve the sustainability of rice cultivation is therefore an investment in climate-proof food systems. 

A single grain of rice may tip the scale but transforming rice farming can shift the balance for good.

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