Regenerative Rice | Astungkara Way

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Cultivating a Future for Rice

WE ARE RESTORING REGENERATIVE RICE CULTIVATION IN BALI AND BEYOND.

BUY RICE

DONATE

INTRODUCING... RICE.

Nº1

Most consumed crop in the world.

Nº2

Most threatened crop by climate change.

99%

Of all rice is unsustainably grown using petrol-based chemicals.

It is a matter of global food security to ensure that rice has a bright future ahead.

Our mission

7.000 ha
10% of Bali's rice paddies transition to regenerative
by 2030

Since January 2023 we are growing, in partnership with local farmers, international academics and impact funders, a Regenerative Rice Farming movement in the heart of Bali.

We provide farmers with free training, micro-financing and market access, to fully de-risk the transition for them.

We are also collecting extensive data to demonstrate that it is the most viable method, not just for farmers but for consumers and ecosystems.

WITHIN 1 YEAR

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202

participating farmers

18

hectares of paddy transitioned

8 Tonnes of rice processed and sold per month

8 farmer cooperatives implementing

HELP US ACCELERATE

Regenerative Rice Farming

Re-learning how to work with nature.

We are the first movement to scale up a farming method called Complex Rice Agrosystems.

Simply put, it is a revival of traditional, natural farming plus pioneering international research on ecosystem dynamics.

Here are some of its benefits:

Improved livelihoods

We reintroduce ducks into rice paddies, during the rice cycle. They play a crucial role of weeding, nutrient cycling and pest control, helping to restore the ecological balance of paddy ecosystems. They also provide additional revenue for farmers (eggs and meat).

+87% farmer profits.

Healthy Soil & Clean Air

Instead of burning rice straw, it is fed back to the paddies as compost. And by halting the use of chemical herbicides and fungicides, the soil comes back to life.

23x more microbial life and 2x more fungal colonies in the soil.

Climate change resilience

With living soil, ducks and by switching to heritage rice, plants are healthier and more resilient to climate change induced events such as droughts, strong winds and pest outbreaks.

80% less pests than in conventional fields. This means more reliable yields and food security.

Ecosystem restoration

To further encourage the rebirth of a balanced ecosystem, we grow flowering legume plants around the paddies. Bees and other pollinators that provide further pest control, return. The plants are used to make rich compost after each cycle.

50% reduction in input costs. This means increased autonomy.

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Sense of stewardship

The farmer communities who implement this method express a renewed sense of connection to their land and fellow farmers. This is what a movement looks like.

0 farmers have dropped out and returned to chemical-based farming since 2023.

Throughout 2023, our team and a first group of 17 Balinese farmers received training directly from the team who researched Complex Rice Agrosystems.

This was made possible through an international collaboration:

renature

reNature provided the agriculture expertise through a partnership with Wageningen and Brawijaya Universities, data collection methodology and project management.

Visit their website

Zerofoodprint asia

Zerofoodprint Asia provided funding to set up the initial "Model Farms", to test and measure the method's effectiveness. They offer a simple way for hotels and restaurants to support regenerative agriculture.

Visit their website

Restaurants and hotels

Establishments of all sizes in Bali serve our Regenerative Rice to their customers, who are informed of the importance of supporting this unique movement.