CarbonFarm supports scalable, credible Scope 3 outcomes in Phase 2 of SRP’s Low Carbon Assurance Module
Rice supply chains sit at the centre of Scope 3 methane emissions for food companies. Yet most sustainability assurance systems were never designed to deliver buyer-ready emissions data. As a result, companies seeking credible Scope 3 reporting often duplicate work, running parallel data collection, audits, and verification processes on top of existing assurance programmes.
This gap between practice-based assurance and quantified emissions outcomes is creating logistical, financial and reporting overhead that is not in the long term interest of scaling rice climate action. It requires a new methodological approach that connects existing assurance systems directly to emissions accounting.
To respond to this challenge, the Sustainable Rice Platform has been advancing a new approach that bridges sustainability assurance and Scope 3 reporting in rice systems. Phase 2 of this work is now being piloted in Viet Nam, building on earlier testing in India, with support from CarbonFarm as the technical MRV partner and Blue Ocean - Lotus Group as the implementation partner.
The initiative is funded by an ISEAL grant to validate the commercial viability of this industry-first Scope 3 methodology under real supply-chain conditions. The Phase 2 covers up to 2,500 hectares across two cropping seasons, running from September 2025 to October 2026. Key objectives include:
-
Enhancing the credibility and scalability of emissions accounting within rice supply chains
-
Enabling participating buyers to access compliant Scope 3 data and reduction pathways
-
Fully integrating emissions monitoring processes into existing SRP assurance systems
-
Gathering structured feedback from SRP members to inform future methodology development
By validating this approach under real commercial conditions, the project aims to demonstrate how assurance systems and emissions accounting can evolve together, rather than in parallel.
Sustainability assurance systems such as SRP play a critical role in defining and validating good agricultural practices at farm level. However, buyers seeking credible Scope 3 reporting often face a gap between practice-based assurance and the quantified data needed for emissions accounting. Closing this gap typically requires parallel data collection, additional audits, and duplicated effort across programs.
This project addresses that challenge by integrating structured emissions monitoring into existing assurance workflows. The aim is not to replace SRP assurance, but to extend it, enabling practice adoption to translate into measurable, repeatable emissions outcomes that buyers can reference with confidence.
As the MRV and technical partner, CarbonFarm supports the initiative by strengthening its data and monitoring foundation. The focus is on enabling scalable, field-level visibility of rice cultivation practices, allowing project partners to move beyond reliance on self-reported information. CarbonFarm’s contribution includes defining baseline and monitoring requirements, specifying data structures that link farming practices with emissions outcomes, and providing a platform that supports consistent monitoring across seasons and locations. Training and technical guidance are delivered to ensure that implementation partners can apply the methodology in practice and prepare documentation that is ready for independent verification.
Through structured, field-level monitoring and consistent data collection, the initiative moves beyond practice-based assurance toward quantified visibility on emissions performance. This approach supports credible and repeatable Scope 3 reporting over time, without creating parallel systems disconnected from existing assurance frameworks.
The project brings together complementary roles across the value chain. SRP, as scheme owner, defines and stewards the methodology within its assurance framework, coordinates governance, and ensures that communications and claims remain consistent with SRP principles. Blue Ocean - Lotus Group, as an SRP member and local implementation partner, leads on-the-ground delivery. This includes engaging producer groups, managing onboarding and data readiness, validating field boundaries, and collecting additional data required to support emissions monitoring.
CarbonFarm provides the technical backbone that connects these activities, ensuring that field-level information is translated into consistent, auditable data streams capable of supporting buyer-facing reporting. For major rice buyers, the challenge is no longer whether on-farm action is happening, but whether reported outcomes are defensible under increasing disclosure expectations. By embedding structured monitoring within established assurance systems, it becomes possible to reduce duplication, improve data consistency, and support credible Scope 3 reporting without adding unnecessary burden at farm level.
As sustainability expectations continue to rise, initiatives that link practice adoption with transparent, auditable outcomes will be increasingly important. For CarbonFarm, this project reinforces the value of designing MRV systems that work with existing frameworks, rather than around them.
CarbonFarm continues to support partners across the rice value chain in developing scalable monitoring and verification approaches that enable credible climate claims and measurable impact. Organisations interested in strengthening emissions visibility within rice supply chains are invited to contact info@carbonfarm.tech to learn more.