Agriculture
Carbon Negative Rice
Straw Innovations is leading a quiet revolution in rice production, transforming it from a 1Gt CO2e emitter into a valuable carbon sink.
Field of Expertise
Craig Jamieson originally trained in horticulture and has a master’s degree in International Rural Development with ‘Distinction’. He has worked in business management, consultancy and also scientific research, specialising in sustainable agriculture and biomass. His work has taken him across Africa and Asia for clients including the UK Government, UN FAO, World Agroforestry and the International Rice Research Institute.
In 2016 with support from the UK Government, Craig established an industrial pilot plant collecting waste rice straw. Straw Innovations Ltd was born and he is now taking it to first commercial scale in the Philippines.
Expertise
Straw Innovations
For every kilogram of rice we eat, a kilogram of straw is also produced. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get out of boggy rice fields, so most is burned or left to rot, producing significant methane emissions. Rice cultivation produces 1Gt CO2e annually - more than the entire global aviation industry. If the straw could instead be collected, it would instantly halve those emissions. After 7 years of R&D in the Philippines, Straw Innovations has demonstrated a workable pilot-scale system. Its award-winning technology harvests straw, even in deep mud where traditional balers fail, with up to 50% cost savings.
