Tilda has released its 2025 Impact Report, marking a step forward in its strategy to become a more responsible rice producer.
The brand has significantly expanded its responsible basmati farming programme in northern India, scaling its Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method across 3,840 farms covering 15,314 hectares. The approach replaces continuous flooding with controlled irrigation cycles, cutting water use and emissions while improving farmer returns.
Results across three growing seasons show up to 45% lower methane emissions, 36% lower CO2e per tonne of rice and annual irrigation water savings of 36.9bn litres. Yields have risen by 7%, with farmer incomes up 7.5% and fertiliser use down by more than 20% per tonne.
The company is now targeting nitrous oxide emissions linked to fertiliser use — a more complex issue that can offset some AWD gains. Early trials with bio-fertilisers containing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, conducted with the University of Cambridge Crop Science Centre, delivered yield improvements of 5%–15% and stronger crop performance. The centre’s Dr Emily Servanté said the early-stage results were encouraging and pointed to a practical route to lower fertiliser use without harming yields, with further research planned for 2026.
Beyond agriculture, Tilda continues to cut emissions across operations, including a 29% CO2e reduction at its ready-to-heat facility and 21% at its rice mill since 2018. It has maintained 100% renewable electricity at its Rainham site and diverted all operational waste from landfill.
