RICE DAO is the future
of agricultural business
We're on a mission to transfer nearly 340,000 agricultural businesses
struggling with succession issues into the hands of hard-working
aspiring farmers and help generations of business owners retire confidently.
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Win-win
business model
RICE DAO is co-ownership platform for agricultural business, facing shortages of successors.
The problem
70%
of agricultural businesses have not found successors
Agricultural businesses are the backbone of Japan's rural economy, supporting the country's food self-sufficiency rate and playing a crucial role in preserving traditional rural culture.
However, when agricultural business owners retire, 70% fail to find successors, often forcing them to give up their farmland.
The owners lose their lifetime assets and legacy, employees lose their jobs, and communities lose valuable food production sites and cultural resources.
Our solution
80%
aspiring farmers ownership within 20 years
RICE DAO buys agricultural businesses from retiring owners, grants 10% ownership of the business's stock to aspiring farmers after closing, and progressively increases aspiring farmers ownership to 80% within 20 years. Aspiring Farmers earn stock through ongoing service. They do not have to buy stock.
We do this because we believe co-ownership is a win-win, with better financial outcomes for the aspiring farmers and the DAO members.
The result is a network of financially durable companies that never have to be sold again. Retiring owners, Aspiring farmers, DAO members, and local economies are all better off.
Testimonial
This can be truly impactful solution.
Kiminami AKira
Professor of UTokyo
This can be absolutely impactful solution.
Tani Lily
Author of 『稲作SDGs -
This can be extremely impactful solution.
Daisuke Oyaizu
Japanese Chef
I'm excited about this idea that will change Japanese agriculture!
Kome-no-Rikyu
University of Tokyo alumnus, now a rice farmer
How it works
01
Retiring Owners
Agricultural business owners retire confidently by selling their business to RICE DAO, which is fairly and equitably operated with the aim of creating a sustainable rice-based society. Their business remains local and their legacy becomes aspiring farmers ownership.
02
Aspiring Farmers
RICE DAO recruits a mission-driven, aspiring farmer to lead the harvesting forward. They begin with an intensive training program and continue to learn through on-the-ground experience and support from the RICE DAO network. They earn stock ownership through continued service in the business and now benefit from the upside of the company's growth.
03
Impact enthusiast
Impact enthusiast can buy the ownership of RICE DAO in a form similar to Social Lending, or they can simply acquire ownership by purchasing rice from .COME or contributing to its spread on social media, as a portion of .COME's profits is returned to RICE DAO. Furthermore, with the promotion of automation, one can become a part of the farming community without physically visiting the site, thus blurring the boundaries between consumers and producers.
Our growing network
16
prefectures
1k
followers
5
student associations
Our Impact
We aim to sustain Japan's rice-based society by succeeding the agricultural businesses lacking successors, while also enabling consumers to hold ownership.
Through the promotion of agricultural automation and labor-saving techniques, we make it easy for all consumers to become involved in agriculture as 'farmers'
For aspiring farmer
Interested in leading a co-owned agricultural business?
Learn more about our Starting Program.
For owner
Why RICE DAO is the right fit for retiring owners
Learn more about why we're the buyer of choice for many business owners.
For impact enthusiast
Interested in making an impact on Japanese agriculture?
Buy Rice?
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