Sushi rice instead of potatoes? Swiss agriculture adapts to climate change 

Rice is a plant native to Asia that also grows north of the Alps in Switzerland. Keystone / Jean-Christophe Bott

Farmers around the world are adapting to rising temperatures. In Switzerland they are experimenting with new crops that can withstand heat and drought. But the transition has its challenges. 

An unusual landscape emerges as the thick morning fog lifts. Between fields of potatoes and sugar beets, neatly aligned rice plants rise from partially flooded soil.

The crop has reached maturity, and the plants sprout clusters full of dark-coloured grains. It’s a surprising sight, as rice paddies evoke farmland in southeastern Asia, far from the Bernese countryside where we are. 

“We’re a family of pioneers. We like doing what others don’t,” says Léandre Guillod, a farmer and agronomist who, together with his brother, runs the largest rice producerExternal link north of the Alps in Switzerland. When we meet him in his rice fields in Aarberg – among the northernmost in Europe – he’s preparing for the most important moment of the year: the harvest. 

Léandre Guillod in his family’s rice field in Aarberg, in the canton of Bern. Swissinfo

For the Guillod brothers, rice is more than just a crop. “It’s a passion,” Léandre Guillod says. “Not a day goes by without us thinking about rice – how to grow it, how to use it, and how to cook it.” But above all, the Oryza sativa plant is a strategic choice for the future. 

Like many farmers in Switzerland and around the world, Guillod must adapt to a warming climate. Higher temperatures, drought and intense, unpredictable rainfall are disrupting traditional crops, which suffer under the changing conditions. Plant diseases are spreading and yields of key food crops such as wheat and corn are declining globallyExternal link. 

Guillod’s farm used to grow lamb’s lettuce also in the summer, but rising temperatures in the warmer months prevent germination for the crop. He now hopes he has found a lasting and profitable alternative.  

“With rice, it’s the opposite: the hotter it gets, the better,” Guillod says. 

Learning to grow rice on YouTube 

Rice farming for Guillod began by chance. A few years ago the Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research (Agroscope) contacted him as part of an experimental rice cultivation project in the Three Lakes Region (Neuchâtel, Biel/Bienne and Murten). The goal was to promote biodiversity and to study the feasibility of crops that tolerate excess water. 

The Guillod family had developed a technique for levelling the soil for its lamb’s lettuce production, and this turned out to be essential for preparing rice fields, since it ensures even flooding. The pilot project yielded good results. “It was the spark that pushed us into rice farming,” Guillod says. 

In 2019 he began sowing rice on a small plot in Lugnorre, a historically marshy area near the canal connecting Lakes Murten and Neuchâtel. “We knew little to nothing about rice. We watched YouTube videos and visited rice farmers in Italy and France,” he recalls. 

In the Aarberg rice field, harvesting takes place in October. Swissinfo

Rice seedlings in water, like in Asia 

Swiss farmers in Ticino have grown rice since 1997, but unlike Guillod, they grow the rice dry. This wasn’t a feasible option so far north. 

Water plays a crucial role as a thermal insulator, protecting the roots from temperature fluctuations. This is particularly important north of the Alps, where temperatures can drop below 20°C, the critical threshold for rice growth. Water also reduces the presence of insects and fungal pathogens, and it limits the growth of weeds. 

Choosing to focus on rice was a bold move, Guillod admits. Adapting a semi-tropical plant to the climate of northwestern Switzerland wasn’t easy. “It was a radical change: we spent our lives trying to keep water out of the fields, and now we do everything to bring it in.” 

To cultivate rice, the Guillods first sow the plants in a nursery then move them to the water using a machine they ordered from Japan. 

So far, the gamble has paid off. The rice-growing area has steadily increased, reaching a total of 11 hectares (six in Lugnorre, with five added in Aarberg in 2022). Today, rice grows on half of the family’s farmland. 

Léandre Guillod cultivates six varieties, including risotto rice, Jasmine rice from Thailand and Japanese rice used for sushi. The rice is sold in small shops across several cantons, at around CHF12 ($15) per kilo. “Last year, rice accounted for nearly half of our income,” he says. 

Almonds, olives and quinoa for Swiss agriculture 

In Switzerland about a dozen farms grow rice in flooded fields, covering a total of around 20 hectaresExternal link. But rice is not the only “exotic” crop in the country. 

Climate change is also encouraging open-field cultivation of melons, watermelons and sweet potatoes, which benefit from increasingly warm autumns. The growing season in Switzerland has extended by about 30 days since 1900External link. 

Olive trees, which have long been present in Ticino, are now spreading north of the Alps. Recently, producers have formed an association to develop the olive supply chain, including olive oil production. Almond trees, typically found in the Mediterranean and California, could also become a viable option for Swiss agriculture, according to Agroscope, which published a study in 2024 on climate-resilient alternative cropsExternal link. 

Olive trees, which have long been present in Ticino, are now spreading north of the Alps. Keystone / Ti-Press / Pablo Gianinazzi

“Warmer temperatures open up new possibilities for crops that were previously rare, such as sweet potatoes, quinoa, sorghum, soybeans or chickpeas,” writes Hannah von Ballmoos-Hofer of the Swiss Farmers’ Union in an email to Swissinfo. These plants are often heat- and drought-tolerant and can be well integrated into existing crop rotations, she adds. 

With rice, Agroscope believes that flooded field cultivation could be promising both financially and environmentally. The potential land available for rice in Switzerland is estimated at around 1,000 hectares. 

Heat and drought threaten potatoes and autumn cereals 

These alternative crops currently remain a niche solution. “Switching to new crops requires significant investment and involves uncertainty,” von Ballmoos-Hofer says. Often, she adds, there is a lack of expertise, suitable machinery, seeds, and processing and marketing infrastructure. Moreover, the market is small and heavily influenced by consumer trends. 

However, she points out that in the long term, diversifying production offers opportunities for greater resilience and adaptation to climate change. 

Climate modelsExternal link predict that summer temperatures in Switzerland could rise by more than 7°C over the next 60 years. Summer rainfall, on the other hand, could decrease significantly. Due to heat and drought, crop yields could drop by more than 50% by 2050–2060. 

Autumn cereals such as wheat and rye, potatoes and forage crops are particularly affected by climate change because they are sensitive to water shortages and mild winters, von Ballmoos-Hofer explains. Fruit and wine production are also under pressure. 

“The breeding of resilient varieties is therefore becoming increasingly important, as is proper water management,” she says. 

The risk of rice

In the Aarberg rice field, Léandre Guillod has finished harvesting black rice. He’s not satisfied. “It wasn’t a good year,” he says. He estimates this year’s total yield at around three tonnes per hectare – about half of the exceptional 2024 harvest. 

Last spring, during sowing in late May, temperatures were too low, slowing root development. In summer, there were few weeks of intense heat, which affected flowering. “That’s the risk with rice: there are many critical phases, and temperature is a limiting factor,” he explains. 

Despite the reduced harvest, Guillod remains optimistic. “Rice is the crop of the future,” he declares. “Humans have been growing it for over 7,000 years. We’ve only been doing it for six. We’ve already achieved good results, but there’s still a lot to learn.” 

Edited by Gabe Bullard/ts