Report on Phase 1 Planning Meeting of the Paddy Rice Production Component CCAC Agriculture Initiative

The goals of the Climate and Clean Air (CCAC) Agriculture Initiative are to disseminate best practices for minimizing emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) from agriculture while also enhancing food security and livelihoods and meeting cross-sectoral climate change objectives. The purpose of the paddy rice component of the CCAC Agriculture Initiative is to produce technical and policy guidance for national governments to implement SLCP and other greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation options at large scales in paddy rice systems while maintaining or improving rice yields. The paddy rice program will target one country as a regional hub in each of Southeast Asia (Vietnam), South Asia (Bangladesh), and Latin America (Colombia) to develop initiatives for up-scaling mitigation at the national level. Up-scaling may entail engaging the private sector and government technical support programs as well as conducting outreach and public awareness campaigns with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that work primarily with farmers

Workshop report: national planning or phase 1 of the CCAC paddy rice component in Bangladesh

This workshop was conducted as part of the mitigation strategies in rice production project, implemented with support from the agriculture initiative of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. The project is carried out in Bangladesh, Columbia, and Vietnam with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Climate Change (CCAFS), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and leading research and agriculture organizations in Vietnam. The objectives of this workshop were to 1) share experiences with applying and scaling up the AWD technology for paddy rice in Bangladesh, 2) identify key areas, partners, and aspect of work that need to be addressed, and 3) develop a detailed national plan for Phase I of the CCAC Rice Component

Alternate wetting and drying in irrigated rice

Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) is a rice management practice that reduces water use by up to 30% and can save farmers money on irrigation and pumping costs. AWD reduces methane emissions by 48% without reducing yield. Efficient nitrogen use and application of organic inputs to dry soil can further reduce emissions. Incentives for adoption of AWD are higher when farmers pay for pump irrigation

How rice can contribute to solving the climate crisis

Presented during the conference of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization of Japan on October 2022, the presentation tackled the rice–food security–climate change nexus and the IRRI Climate Change Mitigation Strategy

Guide to supporting agricultural NDC implementation: GHG mitigation in rice-production in Vietnam

Efforts to reduce GHG emissions from rice production are a national priority for achieving Vietnam’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Unlike the livestock industry where the animal itself is responsible for the majority of emissions, in rice production it is not the plant per se that is the culprit of GHG production, rather it is the way in which the crop is grown and managed that makes a difference in the amount of GHGs emitted. The single largest factor influencing the amount of GHG emitted from rice production is the management of water. The process of alternating between wet periods and dry periods during rice production is herein referred to as alternate wetting and drying (AWD) which has been proven to reduce GHG emissions in rice production by 30%-70% without affecting yields. Given that changes in water management represent the highest potential to mitigate GHGs in rice production, the following sections will explain the process of actions needed to define suitable areas, plan, and target investment for achieving the NDCs. This document details the process for engaging national partners and supporting agricultural NDC implementation