Mars Food & Nutrition announced a $20 million investment in sustainable rice sourcing between 2020 and 2030 through its new Raising Rice Right platform to help farmers adopt climate-smart agriculture practices amid mounting pressures from climate change.
“Rice is a daily staple for billions of people and provides an income to millions of farmers around the world, but climate change is placing extraordinary pressure on this vital crop,” said Dale Creaser, global VP of supply chain, Mars Food & Nutrition.
“As the owners of Ben’s Original, one of the world’s largest rice brands, we have a responsibility to act. This $20 million investment is about backing our farmers with the tools, technology and training support they need to adapt and thrive in a changing environment. It’s also about future-proofing our business to ensure we’re building a resilient food supply chain. We’re committed to making rice farming more sustainable and protecting yields and livelihoods for our farmers today and for generations to come,” Creaser said.
Scaling climate-smart practices
One way Mars is working with rice farmers and suppliers to reduce environmental impact without compromising productivity is with the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) method, which involves periodically draining rice fields rather than keeping them continuously flooded.
“AWD can reduce the amount of water used by up to 30% and reduce GHG emissions by over 40%. It significantly reduces methane emissions and water consumption without compromising yields,” the company’s spokesperson said.
The company also cited the example of the Whitakers, farmers in Arkansas supplying rice to Mars, who “have reduced their water usage by 60% and achieved up to 60% lower GHG emissions compared to average farms in the region as a result of implementing AWD.”
Supporting farmers through the transition
Mars emphasized that farmers are not expected to shoulder the costs of change alone.
“Our approach ensures that our rice farmers are not bearing the risk of the transition to climate-smart practices alone. Mars Food & Nutrition, along with its partners, absorb some of the upfront costs through subsidies and incentives. Farmers accrue the benefits over time such as lower input costs, improved yields and reduced water usage,” according to the spokesperson.
The company also provides premiums above commodity prices to encourage adoption of practices, and shares data to demonstrate the benefits.
“This data sharing has helped show farmers in the Mars rice supply chain that embracing these practices can lead to improved crop yields and reduce production costs,” the spokesperson said.
Measuring impact
Mars monitors its programs using data collection and third-party verification.
Mars monitors environmental impacts like water use and greenhouse gas reductions, economic performance through changes in crop yields, and social outcomes such as farmer participation and improvements in livelihoods. Its initiatives combine direct farmer implementation with technical support and independent verification, according to the company.
Third-party verification often comes through the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), a global alliance promoting sustainable rice farming.
Mars said, “In regions such as Southeast Asia, third-party independent SRP-approved auditing bodies certify that the rice is grown following the SRP standard … demonstrating compliance with the SRP Standard.”
Global reach and farmer resilience
The Raising Rice Right platform will support rice farmers in the US, Europe, India, Pakistan and Thailand, regions facing unprecedented climate variability.
Mars highlighted programs like the Sustainable Aromatic Rice Initiative (SARI) in Thailand, where “Mars Food & Nutrition, GIZ and Herba trained over 1,400 farmers, 66% of whom were women, in climate-smart agriculture practices, improving yields for all participating farmers, while reducing impact on the planet.”
Mars added “Our programs are part of the Sustainable in a Generation Plan, ensuring 100% of farmers in our supply chain at risk of poverty are reached by programs designed to enable them to thrive, supporting long-term economic stability for farming communities around the world.”
Driving industry collaboration
Mars also is leveraging its role as a founding member of the Sustainable Rice Platform to encourage broader adoption of sustainable rice farming.
“We are focused on investing where we can drive meaningful and lasting changes with our farmers and suppliers, while building the evidence that will enable broader industry adoption,” the company’s spokesperson said.
