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More Sustainable Removal of Rice Stubble (Waste)
Sunrice
Background/ Context
Australian Grain Storage (AGS) is the commodity storage arm of Ricegrowers Limited. SunRice is the consumer brand and trading name of Ricegrowers Limited which is one of the largest rice food companies in the world and one of Australia's leading branded food exporters. SunRice Group Ltd is an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed company.
SunRice sources rice globally. Rice sourced from Australia is grown in the Riverina region of New South Wales. The area has hot and dry summers, and availability of water for controlled flooding of rice fields that is conducive for high yields and quality rice production. Their operations in the Riverina are an integral part of the local economy, supporting rural communities and contributing significantly to Australia's agricultural exports.
After rice is harvested, the fields are left with stubble, which is the base of the rice plants that remain anchored in the soil. This stubble includes roots, lower stems, and possibly some leaves.
The rice stubble is described as being dense and slow to break down. Additionally, it has low nutritional value, which means it does not significantly contribute to the fertility of the soil for future crops.
The presence of rice stubble poses a challenge for the preparation of fields for subsequent planting. The stubble needs to be removed or managed in a way that allows for the efficient sowing of the next crop.
A common practice to deal with rice stubble is burning it. This method is quick and cost-effective in the short term, allowing for the easy preparation of fields for the next planting season.
However, stubble burning has significant environmental and health drawbacks. It contributes to air pollution, releasing greenhouse gases and particulate matter that can harm respiratory health. Additionally, it can reduce soil quality over time by destroying organic matter and beneficial microorganisms.
How might we develop a more economical and sustainable alternative to stubble burning?
How might we develop a more economical and sustainable alternative to stubble burning?
The alternative method must be cost-effective for rice growers. It should create a value-add from the rice stubble, as opposed to being seen now as an operational cost for farmers. For SunRice, this reduces Scope 3 emissions and supports a circular solution for growers.
It should not contribute to pollution or degrade soil health. The method should effectively deal with the rice stubble, allowing for the timely and efficient sowing of subsequent crops without negatively impacting productivity.
Solutions could involve a variety of strategies, including but not limited to:
- Developing or using existing machinery that can efficiently remove stubble during the harvest process.
- Cutting and utilising the stubble to produce a biochar or circular solution.
- Utilising the rice stubble as a raw material for bioenergy, construction materials, packaging materials, or other products, providing an additional revenue stream for farmers.
Requirements
The solution should:
- Be cost neutral or at least cost effective, or provides a value-add for growers that also results in reduced emissions;
- Be practical and fit into the existing farming system; and
- Be scalable across 600 farms of an average size of 200ha, that are harvested during a three-month period.
Proof-of-Concept/Pilot
The POC/pilot should occur during the next harvesting season, that is, between May to August 2024. Samples of rice stubble can be provided.
SunRice will provide a minimum of S$8,800 to fund the POC/pilot. The level of funding from SunRice will be assessed based on the proposed POC/pilot project.
Enterprise Singapore is augmenting this support with a S$20,000 POC development grant. The POC Development grant will be awarded to startups/SMEs incorporated in Singapore for projects with overseas pilot deployment potential. Foreign startups/SMEs may be considered if developmental activities are based in Singapore and only if a Singapore office is incorporated.
If this solution can be transferable to other countries, particularly the US (California) and Vietnam, SunRice could provide additional support to scale.
Additional Information
Info Session
Check out the recording from our Info Session, where SunRice shared more about their challenge statement.
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