Creattura Philippines and IRRI Sign First Partnership Under Japan-Backed AGRI Initiative to Curb Rice-Farming Emissions

Creattura Philippines Inc., the Philippine subsidiary of Tokyo-based climate-tech firm Creattura Inc., and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have signed a memorandum of cooperation to quantify and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice paddies in the Philippines, according to a release distributed via PR TIMES.

The agreement is described as the first formal partnership struck under the “AGRI” initiative (Accelerating Development and Scaling of Agricultural Innovations for Reducing GHG Emissions in ASEAN Countries), a joint effort of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and IRRI. The two organizations plan to pair IRRI’s expertise in rice science and GHG measurement with Creattura’s on-the-ground project delivery experience, with the stated aim of advancing lower-emission rice cultivation across the ASEAN region. Work under the pact will include joint research on GHG-measurement methods, technical collaboration, gas-sample analysis and shared data infrastructure, intended to strengthen project monitoring and improve the accuracy of emissions data.

Creattura Philippines president Tomoyasu Hattori said the tie-up links scientific evidence, field practice and digital tools to advance decarbonization in rice farming, adding that credible carbon projects depend on rigorous science and transparent data. IRRI Director General Dr. Yvonne Pinto called the pact more than a formalization of cooperation, describing it as proof of what pairing sound science with the right partners can achieve, with the connection between laboratory research and farmers’ fields as the place where that bridge takes shape. MAFF’s Director of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council Secretariat, Satoshi Nozawa, said linking research institutions with private-sector implementation is essential to turning scientific findings into sustainable farming solutions. The release’s keyword tags also reference alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation and satellite-based analysis alongside the GHG-monitoring focus.

Creattura Philippines was established as Creattura Inc.’s local implementing arm for agricultural carbon-credit projects, particularly methane-reduction efforts in rice cultivation, with its Tokyo parent developing carbon-credit projects and digital MRV (measurement, reporting and verification) solutions. IRRI, a member of the CGIAR research network, focuses on poverty and food-security challenges in rice-dependent communities.