Description

The project ModelRice entitled “Modernized and Low-carbon Rice Production Transformation” was announced in a consultation workshop co-organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Hanoi on 9th December. The project was proposed by IRRI and is expected to start in 2023. Project sites are the three leading rice production provinces in Mekong Delta including An Giang, Đồng Tháp, and Cần Thơ và three provinces of Khammouan, Bolikhamxai, and Xaignabuly in Laos. The project aims to transform rice production into a low-carbon practice and modern technologies, which are climate-smart, profitable, and sustainable in Vietnam and Laos.

Limitations resulting in high greenhouse gas emissions in rice production in Vietnam and Laos include salinity intrusion, drought, using a significant amount of seed, overuse of agrochemicals, inefficient water management, post-harvest losses, rice straw burning, and leaving rice straw submerged in flooded fields. While rice production generates the most amount of GHG emissions in the agriculture sector, the present practice of the localities mostly focuses on economic benefit and food security and ignores emission reduction. In Vietnam, rice enterprises and farmers lack awareness of low–carbon rice production and rice carbon credits have not been sold, said Nguyễn Văn Hùng, co-manager of the ModelRice project, from IRRI.

Sources & further information:  “Vietnamese farmers to be guided on low-carbon rice production” at https://vietnamnews.vn and “Doanh nghiệp sản xuất lúa gạo chưa bán được chứng chỉ carbon” at https://doanhnghiepvn.vn, accessed on 15 December 2021.