Salesforce Signs Deal for 500,000 Rice Methane Carbon Credits from Mitti Labs

Salesforce has signed a five-year agreement to buy 500,000 methane-reduction carbon credits from Indian climate-tech company Mitti Labs by 2030, supporting the expansion of climate-smart rice farming across tens of thousands of smallholder farms. Announced in October 2026, the partnership aims to reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation while improving irrigation efficiency and strengthening water resilience in agricultural regions facing increasing groundwater pressure.

The agreement follows Mitti Labs' recent partnership with Google and reflects growing corporate demand for agricultural carbon credits supported by satellite monitoring and field-level emissions data. The initiative will use alternate wetting and drying (AWD), an irrigation practice that can reduce methane emissions and water consumption by changing how rice fields are flooded during the growing season.

 

Salesforce Commits to 500,000 Methane Reduction Credits by 2030

 

Under the agreement, Salesforce will purchase 500,000 methane reduction credits generated through Mitti Labs' climate-smart rice farming programmes over five years. The transaction provides a long-term demand source for projects that help farmers adopt lower-emission agricultural practices. The companies have not disclosed the agreement's financial value or a detailed schedule for credit issuance and delivery.

The partnership aligns with Salesforce's involvement in the Beyond Alliance's Superpollutant Action Initiative, which focuses on reducing powerful climate pollutants such as methane. Jamila Yamani, Director of Climate & Energy at Salesforce, said, "Reducing methane emissions from rice farming is a scalable climate solution that also helps preserve water resources for future generations." The agreement concerns emissions-reduction credits, not credits representing the removal of carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere.

 

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Climate-Smart Rice Farming Targets Methane and Water Savings

 

Conventional rice cultivation often keeps fields continuously flooded, creating oxygen-depleted soil conditions that encourage methane-producing microorganisms. Alternate wetting and drying replaces continuous flooding with controlled periods of drying before irrigation resumes. This reduces the conditions that drive methane formation while lowering irrigation needs.

According to Mitti Labs, the approach can reduce methane emissions by up to 50% and water consumption by up to 40% without adversely affecting crop yields when implemented appropriately. These are potential performance improvements rather than verified results from every participating farm. The program is particularly relevant to India, where rice cultivation strains groundwater resources and farmers face growing uncertainty from changing rainfall patterns.

 

Satellite Technology Strengthens Carbon Credit Verification

 

A central component of the agreement is Mitti Labs' GeoAI platform, developed with support from NASA. The technology combines high-resolution satellite radar observations with measurements collected directly from agricultural fields to monitor flooding patterns, soil moisture and crop health. This lets the company assess whether farmers are implementing required irrigation practices across individual plots without relying solely on manual inspections.

Mitti Labs says every credit delivered under the Salesforce agreement will be supported by field-level evidence and satellite-verified drying periods. The company also reported receiving an A rating from carbon credit rating agency Sylvera in July 2026 and another A rating from BeZero Carbon in October. These ratings provide external assessments of relevant project quality and risks, but they do not replace verification of individual emissions reductions before credits are issued.

 

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Partnership Targets 700 Billion Litres of Water Savings

 

Beyond methane reductions, Mitti Labs projects that the Salesforce partnership could save approximately 700 billion litres of water by 2030. The company estimates this volume equals about 18 months of Bengaluru's water supply. The projected savings would come from reducing the frequency and duration of flooding across participating rice farms, potentially easing pressure on groundwater in regions where agriculture competes with urban and industrial demand.

Water conservation is an important component of the initiative because rice farming communities face increasing groundwater depletion, changing monsoon patterns, and climate-related agricultural risks. By promoting more efficient irrigation, the programme seeks to strengthen farm resilience while generating carbon credit revenue. However, the projected water savings have not yet been achieved, and actual results will depend on farmer participation, irrigation practices, local conditions and monitoring outcomes.

 

Google and Salesforce Agreements Support Expansion Across Asia

 

Salesforce joins an expanding group of corporate partners supporting Mitti Labs, including Google, Cool Effect, Ebro Foods and Syngenta. In September 2026, Google announced an agreement to purchase one million rice methane reduction credits from Mitti Labs over four years. Together, the Google and Salesforce agreements establish corporate purchasing commitments covering 1.5 million credits, subject to project delivery and verification requirements.

Mitti Labs plans to scale operations across India and Southeast Asia, targeting 2 million carbon credits annually by 2028. Xavier Laguarta, Co-founder of Mitti Labs, said, "This agreement lets us reach tens of thousands more farmers with practices that cut emissions, save water and strengthen livelihoods." The company's expansion will depend on achieving verified emissions reductions across a larger agricultural network while maintaining consistent monitoring and credible carbon accounting.

The partnership demonstrates how long-term corporate carbon credit purchasing agreements can support the adoption of lower-emission agricultural practices. Its environmental contribution will ultimately depend on independently verified methane reductions, realized water savings, and sustained smallholder participation.

 

Source: Mitti Labs