Google agrees to buy 1 million rice-methane credits from Mitti Labs through 2030

Google has agreed to buy 1 million carbon credits from Indian climate-tech startup Mitti Labs through 2030. The four-year agreement covers rice farms in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, reaching about 100,000 hectares at peak delivery. The companies describe it as the largest publicly announced deal to date for credits generated by reducing methane from rice farming.

The project will pay farmers to reduce how long rice fields remain flooded. Mitti Labs says the approach can cut methane emissions by about 50% and irrigation water use by about 40% without reducing crop yields. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The agreement comes as Google works toward net-zero emissions by 2030. Its greenhouse gas emissions rose 18% year over year in 2025 to about 14.5 million metric tons of CO2e. Mitti Labs says its projects have saved more than 500 billion liters of water over the past two years.

Founded in 2023, Mitti Labs uses a GeoAI platform combining satellite radar imagery with field measurements. Its imagery has resolutions from 50 centimeters to 10 meters. Credits may be issued under Gold Standard or Isometric after independent third-party verification. Mitti Labs works with more than 100,000 farmers and aims to reach millions by 2030.