Every harvest and milling season, rice straws—or dayami—are often discarded as waste in agricultural fields due to the lack of economic and technical means to process them. Some farmers resort to burning rice straw to clear their fields efficiently, a practice that releases harmful greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.
This is the challenge that the United Kingdom startup Straw Innovations, with funding support from Innovate UK, aims to address in the Philippines. The company seeks to transform dayami into a source of bioenergy and biogas through close coordination with Philippine and British partners, national government agencies, and local governments.
On October 7, the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub (RSBH) was launched in Pila, Laguna, in partnership with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Aston University, KoolMill Systems Ltd., the provincial government of Laguna, and other local government units.
This collaborative climate mitigation initiative supports the Philippines' goals of enhancing climate resilience, food security, sustainable agriculture, and farmer prosperity.
Craig Jamieson, founder of Straw Innovations, emphasized the power of partnership and innovation in shaping a more resilient agricultural future.
"The rice straw bioenergy hub stands as a testament to what we can achieve when science, innovation, and community come together. When we look beyond individual roles and move forward as partners, we can build a more sustainable and inclusive agricultural future," Jamieson said.
Among the technologies developed by Straw Innovations is the Straw Traktor—a combine harvester converted into a rice straw collector. The machine gathers rice straw directly from fields and is equipped with a soil amendment applicator and land rotavator, resulting in healthier soils, better crops, and higher yields.
According to Jamieson, processed rice straw can be converted into pellets, which can be used to produce biogas and biochar (a charcoal-like substance) which are being utilized by companies. Rice straw can also serve as livestock bedding, organic compost or fertilizer, and even as a medium for mushroom cultivation—creating new income opportunities for farmers.
He explained that sustainable rice straw management must balance energy generation and soil restoration to maintain soil fertility and ensure productive farmlands.
"Some of the bioenergy we are producing is, in fact, combined heat and biochar. The heat is used for drying rice, and the biochar is returned to the soil to build up carbon levels and increase fertility. We're encouraged by the early results of this approach as a solution for the food-energy-water-carbon nexus," Jamieson added.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV-A recognized the initiative for its potential benefits to farmers and the economy.
"Rice straw innovation can power a circular agricultural economy—a system where nothing is wasted and every byproduct adds value. When we treat straw as a resource, we create farming that delivers higher yields, cleaner air, stronger rural economies, and a healthier planet," said DA IV-A Regional Executive Director Fidel Libao.
Libao emphasized that even with advanced technologies and techniques, farmers must be equipped with the right knowledge and support to fully harness the RSBH's economic and environmental potential.
"They must have the right skills, technologies, and market opportunities to make it work. Let us move forward together to build a future where rice farming is not just sustainable but regenerative, responsible, and empowering for generations to come. The challenge is clear—and so is the opportunity," he added.
While challenges remain—such as improving logistics, developing markets, boosting investor confidence, and strengthening government policies—Straw Innovations remains optimistic that continued collaboration and partnership will pave the way for more rice straw hubs across the country.
A study cited by SEARCA noted that rice cultivation accounts for 48% of global crop-related emissions. In the Philippines, out of 20 metric tons of harvested rice (palay), around 14–28 metric tons of rice straw are produced, contributing about 2.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of rice grain. (CH/PIA-Laguna)