Greg Stanton, through the establishment of Mitti Labs, is educating over 100,000 small farmers in Southeast Asia on sustainable agricultural practices. The goal of this program is to reduce methane emissions from rice agriculture, which is considered one of the main food crops in the world. Stanton and his team use satellite data, artificial intelligence, and field observations to track farmers' progress.
Agreement with Google for Carbon Credit Purchase
In September 2026, Mitti Labs announced an agreement with Google to purchase one million carbon credits by 2030. These credits will be allocated to rice agriculture projects in India and will help mitigate the negative environmental impacts of this type of farming.
Stanton emphasizes the necessity for governments to utilize carbon markets, stating that only about 10 countries have authorized projects to sell to airlines under the UN climate scheme. He believes that governments need to engage with carbon markets rather than just discuss them.
Addressing Nitrogen Issues in Indian Agriculture
Stanton also points to the issue of nitrogen waste in Indian agriculture. More than half of the nitrogen that farmers spread on their fields does not reach the crops and instead ends up in groundwater or the atmosphere. This gas is significantly more potent than carbon dioxide and can contribute to global warming.
Stanton believes that correcting this issue does not require new science and that farmers need to be aware of the actual amount of nitrogen their crops require. He references a program in China where farmers successfully reduced nitrogen use by 15% while increasing crop yields by 11%.
He mentions the challenges of measuring nitrogen, which makes investors reluctant to pay for nitrogen reduction. By overcoming this challenge, funding for nitrogen reduction projects will become available.
Stanton also notes the rise in global urea prices following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that any government that imports fertilizers must be aware of the actual needs of its farmers. He suggests that funding should be directed towards helping farmers use less nitrogen.
Hope for the Future
Stanton expresses hope for the future of the planet, stating that while policies are shaped by four-year cycles, companies seeking long-term survival cannot be limited by this trend. He believes that despite criticisms, most large companies have not abandoned climate actions and are taking real steps on a global scale.
Read more: COP17 Congress in Armenia Reached an Agreement on Nature Conservation · Danish Government Calls for a Ban on Fast-Growing
