ABOUT

Brief
Reduce PM2.5 caused by agricultural burning in Thailand not through awareness but by solving the root cause. Despite nationwide bans, burning persists as the fastest and most cost effective way for farmers to prepare their fields. The challenge was to create a solution that could replace this behavior at scale.

Approach
Instead of trying to stop farmers from burning, we replaced the need for it. Fertilizer 2.5 is a biological solution developed with Thai Health and the Department of Agriculture that accelerates the natural decomposition of rice straw. By turning post harvest waste into nutrients within 5 to 7 days, it offers a faster, more practical and cost efficient alternative. Designed to fit seamlessly into existing farming systems, adoption required no behavior change only substitution.

Result
Fertilizer 2.5 scaled across 15 provinces covering 32 million square meters and expanding to 96 million square meters of rice fields. It reduced fertilizer costs by 50 percent and accelerated decomposition by 65 percent.
More importantly, it delivered measurable environmental impact. Rice burning hotspots decreased by 19.4 percent and PM2.5 levels dropped by 21.9 percent during peak burning season across the top 10 provinces.
By removing the need to burn, the solution reduced air pollution at its source improving soil health, farmer livelihoods and the air millions breathe.