Rice Has a Methane Problem That a Startup Is Promising to Fix

Rice farming is a surprisingly large source of planet-warming methane. Yet while a solution to tackle emissions has existed for decades, farmers haven’t embraced it. Now, a startup has found a way to get them on board with a technique that can halve harmful emissions.

Singapore-based Rize has raised $14 million in Series A funding, a round co-led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, GenZero, Temasek and Wavemaker Impact.

Rice is responsible for about 10% of global methane emissions, due to the way it’s grown. The crop is largely grown in flooded fields as a weed-avoidance practice, since other grasses aren’t adapted ...