2. Rice is the daily food of half the world’s
people. 50% more needed by 2030 –
Increase supplies with less land/water
About half of all irrigation water is used
for rice – Reduce water use
Flooded fields produce methane –
Move to aerobic soils
Reliance on agrochemicals- Reduce use
Most rice is still largely produced on
±250 million family farms – Improve
productivity/profitability
Women do most of the work to growrice
(farm productivity is linked to worker
health) Women are most vulnerable to
climate change – Reduce health risks
Higher yields (50-100+%) with any variety;
promotes rice biodiversity, key to adapting to
climate change. Rainfed/irrigated conditions.
25-50% less water
40+% reduction in methane emissions
Improves soil health through aerobic soilsand
application or organic matter
Accessible to resource-limitedfamilies
More rice to eat and sell; more income
Resistant to drought, pests, diseases, storms
Women benefit from less work and fewer
health hazards.
Nutritional benefits (higher nutrient density,
reduced arsenic levels, diversified diets.
References on request
System of Rice Intensification (SRI)Rice and Climate Change
3. SYSTEM OF RICEINTENSIFICATION (SRI)
Small seed beds (80-90%
fewer seeds)
Seedlings transplanted at
8-15 days
Transplanted in
unflooded conditions
Seedlings widely spaced
in rows.
Fields kept wet and dry
2-3+ weedings with
conoweeder
Organic fertilizers to
build soil health
Seed nurseries in
flooded fields
Seedling transplanted
at 30 days-45 days
Transplanted in flooded
or puddled conditions
Multiple plantlets to
each hole
Flooded fields
Hand weeding early,
then as needed
Application of synthetic
fertilizer, herbicides
and pesticides
CONVENTIONAL
SRI
Non
SRI
4. About Lotus Foods
• Mission – Rice biodiversity, Fair prices for
family farmers, Sustainability
• Established 1995. Pioneered heirloom pigmented
rices to the US: Bhutan red rice, black rice from
China (trademarked Forbidden Rice®)
• Small company – Certified B Corporation. 12full-time
employees. Co-founder owned/led. HQ in California
• Present in all channels: natural, retail, e-commerce,
club. Retail stores across North America: Costco, Whole
Foods, Safeway, Amazon, etc.
• Core group of natural foods brands promotingreduced
emissions in supply chains in Climate Collaborative.
5. Farmers Supply
Partners
Lotus Foods
Distributors
Brokers
Store Buyers
Manufacturers
North
American
Consumers
2009: 200 farmers
2019: 1800 farmers
20-40% higher prices
Yields average 5t/ha;
1-2 t/ha more than
non SRI
NGO, Coops,
Individual
businesses:
Cambodia,
India, Indonesia
Thailand
• Receive Load
• QA/QC
(Sampling/Testing)
• Store/pack
• Order Fulfillment
Sell to Distributors
(Natural, Grocery,
Specialty, Mass &
Foodservice)
Direct Sales (Club &
Amazon, Industrial, Web)
Focus on local
and heritage
rices
Secure rice, store,
process, package,
food safety tests,
certify
2009: 3 containers
(54t)
2019 : 28 containers
(520t)
Pathway of SRI-produced rice to US markets
6. Farmers
Supply
Partners
Lotus Foods
Distributors
Brokers
Store Buyers
Manufacturers
North
American
Consumers
SRI affordable,
scaleable,
surpluses with any
variety. Meets
highest industry
standards: organic,
Demeter, FT,ROC;
sofi gold
Mission-driven.
Invested long-
term. Learn fast.
Provide technical
assistance
Invested in long-term;
VC/Lender support;
Strong outreach to
trade/consumers
Receptive to
Climate-friendly
rice. Demand
increasing.
Like choice, story,
taste, having impact.
Driving change!
Need training,
recordkeeping
skills, weeders,
organic inputs,
better water
control
Quality Control!
Inadequate equipment;
Capital for equipment &
inventory to scale;
Technical know-how;
Better accountability;
Certifications expensive
Multiple
inexperienced
supply partners.
Under-resourced.
Low margins;
subsidize partners
Very complex food
system with many
channels
Americans are not
big rice eaters;
capacity for only
so many novel
rices.
What’s Working
Challenges
7. Farmers: Exploring how block chain, Carboncredits,
Water Credits, W+ can improve transparency and
generate more benefits for farmers.
Supply Partners: Vacuum-packing machine costs
US$10K. Without the machine organic rice mustbe
shipped in a refrigerated container costing US$3k. 3
reefers = cost of packing machine.
Lotus Foods spends ca. $300k/yr on cleaning rice.
Could be invested in sales, lower prices to be more
competitive, innovation in value-added produ
Better Margins = Better Outcomes
Manual Sorting
One container=200 days.
Color Sorter=1 hour
cts, etc.
But costs US$30k-US$50k.
8. SRI fields, Tasikmalaya, Indonesia.
Climate Smart Impacts from
Sourcing SRI-grown Rice
±2 billion liters less water used annually on rice
fields from purchase of SRI-grown rice.
750-850 liters water to produce/1 kg paddy & 6 -7 t/ha.
Non-SRI farmers = 2736 liters with yields of 4 t/ha.
2018= ±4670 tons CO2eq not emitted withSRI.
Restoring soils: ±600/tons less synthetic fertilizer
applied annually
Promote rice biodiversity and on-farmbiodiversity
Organic/Fair Trade prices make farming profitable/
enhance financial resilience. Communitybenefits.
Biogasifier
Bohra
Family,
Uttarakhand
Farming is
profitable.
Adoption of other CSA Innovations
Tasikmalaya, Indonesia.
Protection of natural habitats,
no run-off of agrochemicals
9. How to Achieve Global Traction and Impact
• More policy support for agroecological farming
• Infrastructure improvements in water delivery
• Democratize funding to spur local innovation, improve farmer
ownership of value chain, value-added innovation,commercialize
technologies
• Small-scale, gender-friendly mechanization
• Improved access to capital to reduce risk to small companies,
investors and enable scaling
• Crop insurance for CSA strategies; Less expensive certifications
• Procurement programs to support inclusive CSArice/crops
• More research collaborations with the natural productsindustry
• More research on how innovations impact women’swell-being