Candidates for Board Election 2025

In my role, I am committed to developing and advancing responsible agricultural practices across a range of commodities. With Westmill being one of the largest importers of rice to the UK, continuing to develop our SRP projects in both Pakistan and Thailand are a key part of my role. Rice is a very water intensive crop and a significant emitters of greenhouse gas emissions; so encouraging the farmers to adopt the SRP Standard is crucial at a time where climate change is continuing to have drastic impacts on our crops. Rice is one of the most widely grown and consumed foods in the world, emphasised by the fact it is a staple food for 50% of the global population. This demonstrates the importance of SRP, as we are at a time of both challenge and opportunity to develop climate resilience, encourage social equity and enable food security.

For the past 3 years I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of a diverse group that challenge one another and seek to drive change. Within the FBDC I have learnt to understand the SRP financial status, whilst maintaining the right members needed to support SRP. I am passionate about the future of SRP, one whereby we need the consumer to understand its importance more so than previously. The connections I have directly with our customers is a key area of expertise I strive to bring to the Board. This insight is key in helping the Board understand both the practicalities and complications of scaling SRP rice across our supply chains.

I hope that I can continue to bring this insight, along with my understanding of the regulatory compliance to allow SRP to maintain as the credible standard it is, considering the new and more stringent legislation that corporates are facing into.

I am eager to contribute to SRP’s governance, innovation, and messaging to help transform the agricultural landscape when it comes to rice. I am determined to be a part of a movement to help shape a future where rice production is both sustainable and scalable, creating positive impacts for the farmers, processors and developing a better and more conscious awareness amongst key consumers globally

As Managing Director of Galaxy Rice mill, I bring 20 years’ experience in Sales & Marketing, Strategy, Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing.
Galaxy is a family owned and operated business with a focus on exporting Basmati rice to the European & US market. As part of our sourcing, I have been fortunate enough to be involved in developing a Sustainable Rice farmer program in our local area. This has given me given me unique experience in this part of the supply chain in Pakistan.

I have served a term on the board and contributed towards reviewing current strategy and position of SRP. if re-elected I would help in further refining it and devising policies around scaling SRP into the next phase of its journey with a focus on making more sustainably grown product in the market.

I am honored to seek nomination to the Board of the Sustainable Rice Platform, motivated by a commitment to advancing rice systems that are climate-resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive. Rice sustains billions worldwide yet faces increasing climate and economic pressures. SRP is uniquely positioned to shape credible, scalable solutions that improve farmer livelihoods while delivering measurable climate impact.

As co-founder and CEO of String Bio, I bring over a decade of experience at the intersection of science, entrepreneurship, and governance. I have built a deep-tech company translating advanced biotechnology into sustainable agricultural solutions. Our patented biostimulant, CleanRise, is designed specifically for rice, enabling reductions in carbon intensity while improving yield and grain quality. This embodies the Win-Win-Win approach I believe in: farmers gain resilience and income, the climate benefits from reduced emissions, and consumers gain affordable, nutritious food. Leading this effort has also given me practical experience in risk management, business models for scaling innovation, and multi-stakeholder governance- all directly relevant to SRP’s mission.

I have also advanced rice carbon projects in alignment with global voluntary standards, reinforcing my understanding of market-based mechanisms and compliance frameworks that can drive durable impact. In parallel, I have worked with public, private, and civil society stakeholders to promote inclusive, science-driven transitions in food systems.

I believe SRP’s future success depends on credible governance, innovative financing, and practical solutions for smallholder adoption. With my background in carbon markets, innovation ecosystems, and global advocacy, I am committed to supporting SRP’s Board in strengthening standards, scaling adoption, and driving measurable outcomes for both farmers and the planet.
It would be a privilege to serve on the SRP Board and contribute to shaping global rice systems that are sustainable, farmer-inclusive, and aligned with the transition to a net-zero future.

Pranav Sethaputra has built his career at the intersection of sustainability, agriculture, and multi-stakeholder partnership development. Currently serving as Business Sustainability Lead, Asia Pacific for BASF Agricultural Solutions, Pranav drives the development and implementation of BASF’s sustainability strategy across 19 markets, overseeing all aspects of BASF’s sustainability commitments in the region. Much of his work centres around identifying technologies and interventions with the potential to reduce agriculture’s impact on the planet (while safeguarding yields and farmer livelihoods) and in programs and systems that promote their adoption (such as carbon farming, particularly in the rice sector).

Pranav brings over a decade of experience in advancing sustainability in complex multi-stakeholder environments. Prior to joining BASF, Pranav held senior roles at the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Grow Asia. At the Alliance, he led partnership development across Asia Pacific, engaging multinational corporations and development agencies to advance circularity solutions. At Grow Asia—a platform catalysed by the World Economic Forum and The ASEAN Secretariat—he led the regional partnerships team, where he brought together public, private, non-profit, farmer, and academic organizations to support smallholder growers across Southeast Asia. His leadership helped mobilize over 390 partner organizations, whose collaborative efforts reached more than 2.1 million farmers through programs that improved incomes and reduced environmental impact.

Earlier in his career, Pranav served as Group Sustainability Manager of MCI Group, where he led the development of sustainability reports, training programs, and impact assessments for clients such as the United Nations, SAP, and Pfizer.
Pranav holds a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honors) in Sociology from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Passionate about advancing women’s empowerment in the agriculture sector, Pranav also currently serves as an Executive Committee Member of Women in Agribusiness Asia (WOMAG).

As the Business Sustainability Lead for Asia Pacific at BASF Agricultural Solutions, I am committed to advancing strategies that create shared value for farmers, ecosystems, and markets across the region.

Over the past decade, I have worked in the sustainable development space, with a particular focus on agriculture, fostering collaboration between public, private, and non-profit organizations to drive positive social and environmental outcomes. In my current role, I lead BASF’s sustainability strategy in Asia Pacific, working with internal and external stakeholders to integrate sustainability aspects into business activities and identify and develop innovative models and initiatives that support farmers and the planet. A significant part of this work involves building strategic climate-smart rice partnerships aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation

Over the past decade, I have worked in the sustainable development space, with a particular focus on agriculture, fostering collaboration between public, private, and non-profit organizations to drive positive social and environmental outcomes. In my current role, I lead BASF’s sustainability strategy in Asia Pacific, working with internal and external stakeholders to integrate sustainability aspects into business activities and identify and develop innovative models and initiatives that support farmers and the planet. A significant part of this work involves building strategic climate-smart rice partnerships aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation.

SRP’s mission to transform the global rice sector through multi-stakeholder collaboration and science-based standards strongly aligns with my professional values and experience. I bring a systems-thinking mindset, a strong foundation in sustainability, smallholder engagement, and public affairs, and a proven ability to build strategic partnerships that deliver measurable impact. My work consistently focuses on enabling scalable innovations that improve farmer livelihoods while protecting natural resources and our climate.

I would be honored to contribute to SRP’s strategic direction and help accelerate the transition toward inclusive, resilient, and sustainable rice value chains.

It is a privilege to present my candidacy for re-election to the SRP Board in the ‘At Large Category’. Having had the honor of serving a first term, I am deeply grateful to the members who entrusted me with this responsibility and encouraged me to continue contributing—initially as a Board member and later as Vice Chair.

During my tenure, I have sought to be both a voice within SRP and an ambassador for SRP in Pakistan and internationally. My commitment has been reflected in raising visibility and credibility for SRP standards among governments, civil society, private sector actors, and academia—leading to new members joining the network. I have also built bridges with global platforms by bringing SRP into dialogues around the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, linking with initiatives such as Better Cotton, and embedding SRP principles in multi-country programmes, including an Asian Development Bank project. These efforts reflect my conviction that SRP has a critical role in shaping sustainable rice systems worldwide.

The SRP vision remains very close to my heart. At Helvetas, I promote interventions that serve smallholders and women, remain resilient to shocks, and strengthen livelihoods without displacing vulnerable actors. I bring to the Board the ability to frame these concerns in global and local debates, while identifying innovative but inclusive solutions.

Over the past term, I have supported the Board’s deliberations to strengthen governance, harness members’ collective potential, and enhance SRP’s credibility with governments and the private sector. If re-elected, I will continue to serve with dedication and collaboration—bringing networks, research experience, and development practice to ensure SRP thrives. I am committed to advancing governance, member connectivity, and market recognition while expanding SRP’s reach to farmers, businesses, policymakers, and consumers alike.

I humbly place before you my renewed commitment and look forward to continuing to contribute to SRP’s cause.

Alan Johnson is a Senior Operations Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) a member of the World Bank Group. He is the current Chair of the Board of Directors of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP).

Alan works in IFC’s Agribusiness Advisory Services based in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is the global lead for Stronger Smallholder Supply Chains, a program linking smallholder producers and last mile retailers to the commercial supply chains of IFC agribusiness clients. The program includes several supply chain projects in Africa and Asia based on commodities (cocoa, coffee, barley, rice, maize) and the distribution of improved agro-inputs. Alan has a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of New England in Australia where he was a Commonwealth Scholar.

Alan’s motivation is to position SRP as the global sustainability standard for rice and to ensure that the standard is widely used and provides benefits to the entire rice value chain from retailers through to smallholder rice farmers. His priorities are to provide strategic guidance to SRP to enable growth and secure long-term sustainability for SRP based on:

1. Strengthening Governance of the SRP Standard and Assurance Scheme

2. Supporting the growth of SRP including membership, certification uptake, geographic expansion, market footprint and financial sustainability

3. Accelerating the transition to sustainable, low-emission rice cultivation by leveraging private investment, blended finance and technical assistance

4. Building the capacity of the SRP secretariat

I confirm that if elected, I am willing to serve on the board of SRP.

I wish to express my interest in serving a second term as a Member of the SRP Board. Having served during the current term, I am well acquainted with SRP’s objectives and the responsibilities of the Board, and I remain committed to contributing to the organization’s growth and impact.

As Global Director of Rikolto’s Sustainable Rice Programme, active in nine countries across Asia and Africa, I have overseen the piloting and scaling of the SRP Standard in collaboration with multiple stakeholders. This work enables me to connect global policy discussions with field-level implementation, while also feeding back practical insights and innovations to SRP—particularly in the areas of market development and compliance, climate action and financing, multistakeholder partnerships in promoting sustainable rice, and youth and gender inclusion.

In addition, as Rikolto is an institutional member of SRP, I see opportunities to strengthen collaboration and leverage synergies for mutual benefit. My experience as a Board Member of Preferred by Nature and as part of Rikolto International’s management has also provided me with expertise in governance, organizational development, and fundraising that I can continue to contribute to the SRP Board.
I would be honored to continue serving SRP and to support its mission in advancing sustainable rice worldwide.

I am motivated to contribute my extensive experience of good governance to the board of the Sustainable Rice Platform as an important non-governmental organisation working within the area of international standards, bringing my experience from the Alliance for Water Stewardship, as well as public sector values. I am equally committed to population and planetary health and endorse the need to transform the global rice sector to assure a supply of sustainably produced rice.

The needs and perspectives of smallholders must be heard, and it is from a perspective of equity and fairness, with no vested interest in the direct outcome, that I can bring a challenge to conversations that may be dominated by multinationals and governmental representatives.

Whilst the expertise of rice specialists is important to the board, a balance and focus on best practice, behaviour and governance is critical to maintain integrity and transparency to properly serve all members fairly.