Future-proofing rice: how Asias farmers are innovating against climate odds

As rising temperatures and devastating storms reshape the landscape, Asia’s rice farmers are embracing innovation like never before.

By marrying traditional cultivation with advanced digital tools, they are striving to tackle the urgent challenges of climate change by transforming rice production into a sustainable and profitable venture.

From the boundless fields of India to the bustling paddies of Vietnam and Thailand, a revolution is brewing, driven by the pressing need to combat methane emissions and improve water management.

These innovative practices not only mitigate environmental impacts but also “increase crop yields, lower input costs, and provide farmers access to carbon markets, boosting incomes”, said Jaime Adams, co-lead of the US Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (Aim for Climate) on the sidelines of Cop29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

This transformation is especially critical in a region that produces over 80 per cent of the world’s rice, a staple for half the global population.

At the ongoing UN climate summit in Baku, Aim for Climate unveiled its report “Cultivating Transformative Investments in Climate – Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation”, offering a road map for scaling sustainable rice practices through strategic partnerships and investments.

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