sustainacraft Partners with Regrow and ATOA Carbon to Advance Sustainable Rice Farming through Development of a New Model-Based AWD Methodology for JCM
Aiming to reduce monitoring burdens, expand project pipelines, and enhance transparency under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)
sustainacraft Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Hiroshi Suetsugu, hereinafter “sustainacraft”) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Regrow Ag (Headquarters: New Hampshire, USA; Co-Founder and CSO: Dr. William Salas, hereinafter “Regrow”), a global leader in agricultural carbon measurement using remote sensing, machine learning, and soil modeling technologies, and ATOA Carbon (Headquarters: California, USA; Founder and CEO: Sami Osman, hereinafter “ATOA”), a highly experienced firm specialized in carbon offset project implementation and methodology development.
The collaboration aims to develop a model-based methodology for quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from sustainable rice farming practices like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) under Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).
Through this partnership, the three companies will work together to advance Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) approaches for AWD practices by leveraging model-based estimation for methane emissions. Developing this approach will contribute to more scalable and transparent GHG reduction efforts in the rice sector.
Background and Objectives
The collaboration responds to the growing need within Japan’s JCM framework for innovative methodologies that can lower monitoring burdens and enable broader deployment of regenerative agriculture programs in rice, especially in regions with large-scale rice cultivation.
AWD, a water-saving and methane-reducing practice in rice paddies, holds significant GHG mitigation potential, particularly in Southeast Asia. In February 2025, the first AWD methodology under the JCM was officially approved in the Philippines, paving the way for expanded project implementation.
However, current methodologies under JCM require direct GHG measurements using static chambers, a process that is both technically complex and cost-intensive. In contrast, international standards such as VCS and CAR already recognize model-based approaches for emission quantification.
sustainacraft has been advocating for the adoption of model-based methodologies in collaboration with project developers globally. The DNDC (DeNitrification-DeComposition) model — exclusively licensed by Regrow — will be a key component of this new methodology.
Key Activities
Under this MoU, sustainacraft, Regrow, and ATOA will pursue the following activities:
Conduct pilot demonstrations of model-based GHG estimation in AWD projects
Engage with Japanese stakeholders, including companies and government agencies, to promote awareness and adoption
Develop and propose a model-based AWD methodology for JCM based on pilot outcomes
In 2025, the partners plan to initiate pilot demonstration projects in collaboration with private companies and public institutions. These pilots will validate the effectiveness of using the DNDC model to estimate GHG emissions from AWD practices.
The companies are also seeking project partners — especially rice-growing companies in Southeast Asia — interested in participating in pilot implementations aimed at future JCM project formation.
Comments from the Parties
Dr. William Salas, Co-Founder & CSO, Regrow:
“Rice cultivation represents one of the most significant opportunities for reducing agricultural methane emissions. By applying proven, science-based models like DNDC, we can dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of monitoring, making it easier for project developers and farmers to participate in carbon programs. We’re proud to partner with sustainacraft and ATOA Carbon to bring model-based methodologies to the JCM, and to help unlock the potential of regenerative rice systems across Southeast Asia.”
Sami Osman, Founder & CEO, ATOA:
“We’re very excited and grateful for this opportunity to work with sustainacraft and Regrow, to drive innovation and efficiency in the JCM market”
Hiroshi Suetsugu, CEO, sustainacraft:
“Our partnership with Regrow and ATOA marks a key step toward scaling high-quality agricultural projects under the JCM. By combining Regrow’s advanced modeling capabilities and ATOA’s methodology development experiences with sustainacraft’s project due diligence expertise, we aim to expand the adoption of model-based methodologies and enhance the credibility of agricultural carbon credits.”
About companies
About Regrow
Regrow powers Agriculture Resilience for today’s leading retailers, CPGs, processors, and farmers. Named one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2023, Regrow’s rapidly growing list of partners includes Cargill, General Mills, Nestle and Kellanova. With Regrow’s Agriculture Resilience Platform, companies across the ag supply chain gain the ability to assure their supply chains by accelerating the needed scale of GHG emissions reduction, adoption of regenerative farming practices, and proactive adaptation to the changing climate. A member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Regrow has been named the No. 1 Most Innovative Company in Agriculture on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2023 and ranked 328 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
About ATOA
ATOA is a US-based consulting company specialized in expanding the efficiency and capabilities of carbon offset programs. Highly experienced in both the voluntary and compliance markets, ATOA facilitates the implementation of carbon projects, and supports the development of offset methodologies for international carbon registries and national programs.
About sustainacraft
sustainacraft is a Japan-based climate tech startup with the mission of accelerating capital flows toward nature-based solutions. The company specializes in due diligence and sourcing support for nature-based carbon credits. In September 2024, sustainacraft launched a “nature.cocraft” to streamline access to high-quality international credits from multiple project developers.
