From Satellites to Soil: The Startup Helping Farmers Fight Climate Change

With smart partnerships and satellite-powered insights, this climate tech startup is transforming smallholder agriculture across Asia

Climate Change in the Rice Fields

Rice farming may seem low-impact, but it’s a major source of methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 82 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period.

• Roughly 10–12% of human-caused methane emissions come from rice cultivation.
• The problem stems from flooded rice paddies, which create anaerobic soil conditions ideal for methane-producing microbes.
• In countries like India, where smallholder farmers dominate, finding scalable solutions is crucial but difficult.

That’s where Mitti Labs, a New York-based AI startup, is stepping in—with a model built for scale, science, and sustainability.

The AI-Driven Solution

Mitti Labs has developed a system that monitors methane emissions from rice fields using AI, satellite imagery, and radar data.

• Radar penetrates clouds, water, and even soil, offering visibility into underground microbial activity.
• The company trains its models on field data and satellite inputs to calculate real-time methane output.
• This enables accurate Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) without deploying costly ground equipment.

The remote sensing approach helps cut verification costs and makes the system accessible to millions of smallholder farms.

Revenue for Farmers, Credits for the Climate

Mitti Labs doesn’t just monitor methane—it helps farmers earn from reducing it.

• By adopting climate-smart practices, farmers generate carbon credits through methane reduction.
• Mitti’s platform tracks these credits, takes a percentage of their sale, and shares the majority with the farmer and community.
• On average, farmers see a 15% boost to their bottom line, which can be life-changing for those operating on slim margins.

These programs are not only climate-positive—they’re also economically meaningful for rural communities.

Strategic Partnerships: The Key to Scale

What sets Mitti apart in a space VCs usually avoid is its partnership-first approach.

• The company has teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to deploy its platform in India, supporting regenerative, no-burn agriculture.
• The nonprofit handles on-the-ground training, while Mitti delivers the tech infrastructure and MRV tools.
• This hybrid model allows Mitti to focus on its strength—AI software—while reaching thousands of villages through local networks.

According to co-founder Xavier Laguarta, most fieldwork is done by locals in the villages, ensuring cultural and operational alignment.

Expanding as a SaaS Climate Tool

Mitti Labs isn’t stopping at methane measurement—it’s turning its tech into a climate SaaS platform.

• The startup is now offering its MRV tools to other project developers and corporations tracking Scope 3 emissions from rice production.
• This transition allows the company to monetize its tech beyond its own projects, extending impact while scaling revenue.

Much like Mati Carbon, winner of the Xprize Carbon Grand Prize, Mitti is joining a new class of MRV-focused climate tech firms.

A Model for Asia—and Beyond

India is Mitti’s main focus now, but the model is built for broader use across Asia.

• 90% of global rice is grown in Asia, with a similar smallholder farm structure outside of China.
• Mitti’s deep integration with The Nature Conservancy allows for regional adaptability, making it easier to replicate across Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

With low overhead, AI-driven insights, and community-based deployment, Mitti is proving that climate-smart agriculture doesn’t have to sacrifice scalability or local impact.