Food & Climate
Countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have begun using the (Alternate-Wetting-Drying) technology in rice cultivation, which is one of the climate technologies that helps in mitigation and adaptation, which leads to reducing emissions and water consumption, in addition to increasing productivity.
Rice is a staple food for more than three billion people and is responsible for emitting 11% of global methane emissions and consuming 40% of the world’s irrigation water. One kilogram of rice consumes 2000 liters of water.
Due to climate change, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) predicts a 15% drop in yields by 2050 and is therefore promoting climate smart agriculture, according to a report seen by “Food & Climate” platform.
Rice cultivation share of GHG emissions
According to the World Bank, on average, rice cultivation contributes 43% of total national agricultural GHG emissions in Southeast Asia, with the highest shares in rice exporting nations like Vietnam (50%) and Thailand (65%).
So, it is imperative that climate tech and digital tech mechanisms and groups be united under the Asean umbrella to determine priority action on reducing GHG emissions in agriculture.
A climate tech called “Alternate-Wetting-Drying” (AWD), where paddy fields are periodically drained to a certain threshold and then re-flooded, can reduce methane emissions by up to 50%.
AWD uses hollow pipes embedded in paddy fields to monitor water levels when they are drained to a depth which avoids damaging the rice plants.
Currently, farmers make manual observations of the water depth; research in Vietnam and Japan has shown the practicality of digitalised low-cost sensors to monitor water levels at scale.
Improving the ease of monitoring would incentivise farming communities to scale up the use of AWD. Using digital sensors instead of manual methods would also enable governments and the private sector to estimate the total methane reduction from a locality.
This can then contribute to a Measurement, Reporting, Verification (MRV) system for carbon credits. Governments, including Vietnam’s, are piloting this approach, and companies are estimating carbon credits for their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Notably, Vietnam is the first AMS to use AWD to help meet its NDC target.
Climatetech for mitigation can potentially be enhanced with digital tech to improve the efficiency of fertiliser application and provide alternatives to burning, for instance, in reducing nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from pastureland and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of crop waste, according to “Eco- Business”.
It is noteworthy that many areas in the world that have rice cultivation activity are accustomed to burning rice straw or large quantities of it.
Companies supporting in Thailand
Some companies like Migros is now supporting growing climate-friendly rice in Thailand by Alternate-Wetting-Drying (AWD).
This climate-smart rice cultivation method uses less water and emits less climate-damaging methane gas. At the same time, higher crop yields improve farmers’ resilience.
In the eastern Thai province of Sakon Nakhon, Migros is supporting this technique for growing climate-friendly rice.
With this project, we are now also using a more climate-friendly method for traditional rice cultivation. This can save on greenhouse gas emissions as well as water and pesticides.
Thomas Paroubek, Head of Sustainability & Quality Management at Migros, said: “more than 1000 farming families are to be trained in this new cultivation method. Demonstration fields will be used to show them the effectiveness and economic efficiency of the new cultivation method. In addition, the project will provide participating farm families with equipment to facilitate and safeguard the implementation of the method. Nevertheless, participating in the project is a courageous step for the farmers, especially when the family’s livelihood depends on the harvest. However, their commitment not only pays off for the environment, but also brings other benefits”.
The new cultivation method will increase overall crop yields in the medium term, reduce the number of required seeds and thus increase the net income of farming families in the long term.
Furthermore, the SRI method leads to a 50% reduction in water use. In addition, the use of pesticides, which is not only costly but also harmful to the environment, can be decreased. This benefits the protection of small organisms. More biodiversity means healthier and more stable habitats for people and animals, he added, according to “My Climate“.
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