Tilda Sustainable Basmati Programme Reaches 3,840 Farms and 15,314 Hectares

Tilda's basmati sustainability programme has expanded to 3,840 farms covering 15,314 hectares in northern India, turning a small field trial into a large scale supply chain programme.

The central practice is Alternate Wetting and Drying, an irrigation method that allows rice paddies to dry between flooding cycles instead of remaining continuously submerged. That reduces the anaerobic conditions that generate methane while also lowering water demand.

Data covering 2023 through 2025 shows average annual savings of about 22.7 million kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent and 36.9 billion litres of water. Tilda also reports a 21.4 percent reduction in fertiliser use per tonne of rice and a 36 percent reduction in emissions per tonne compared with farms outside the programme.

The economic results are important because environmental practices are unlikely to scale if they reduce farm viability. Tilda says participating farms increased production by about 6.9 percent and farm income by 7.5 percent on average compared with farms outside the programme.

Farmers receive extension support and equipment, while those who sell qualifying basmati to Tilda can receive a premium price. The programme now covers most of the company's branded basmati sourcing and Tilda intends to continue expanding coverage.

The next technical challenge is nitrous oxide. Researchers are examining soil biology and biofertiliser approaches that could reduce synthetic fertiliser use while preserving the water and methane benefits already achieved through improved irrigation.