AI & Satellites Cut Rice Water Use 40%

Mitti Labs, a climate-tech startup with operations in New York and Bengaluru, has successfully raised $9.5 million in a Series A funding round. This investment, spearheaded by Aramco Ventures, will facilitate the company's expansion across Asia. The startup's innovative platform integrates satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and field operations to assist farmers in reducing water consumption and methane emissions from rice cultivation.

Rice farming, a staple for over half the global population, is highly water-intensive and a significant contributor to agricultural methane emissions. Mitti Labs' GeoAI platform utilizes satellite radar imagery and extensive field data to create digital twins of rice fields. This allows for remote monitoring of crop conditions, water usage, and methane output across thousands of smallholder farms.

Since its initial programs in 2024, Mitti Labs has grown its reach from approximately 8,000 farmers to over 100,000 farmers across various Indian states in the current season. The company aims to serve millions of smallholder farmers by 2030, with a majority of its 150+ employees based in India.

The adopted alternate irrigation practices have demonstrated a reduction in water use by about 40% and methane emissions by over 50%, with no adverse effect on yields. This efficiency also enables farmers to generate additional income through carbon credits.

Mitti Labs generates revenue through carbon credit sales and its GeoAI platform. Clients include carbon marketplace Cool Effect, rice producer Ebro Foods, and agricultural company Syngenta, all leveraging Mitti Labs' data for enhanced water resilience. The company plans to expand into the Philippines by the end of this year, followed by Indonesia and other Southeast Asian markets in 2027.