Farmers join forces to produce rice with reduced emissions.

Quang Tri farmers are moving towards a rice production process that reduces emissions so that rice grains are not only agricultural products, but also carry carbon value…

Reduce methane emissions by 60%

Starting from the 2024 winter-spring crop season, the Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment, the North Central Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Green Carbon Japan Company, and a number of households have collaborated to implement a model for reducing rice emissions.

The model was piloted on 60 hectares in two communes, Vinh Thuy and Truong Ninh. By the 2025 summer-autumn crop season, the model had expanded to over 2,000 hectares in key rice-growing areas of the province such as Trieu Phong, Trieu Binh, Vinh Thuy, Truong Ninh, Ninh Chau, and Quang Ninh .

A model for reducing emissions in rice production implemented in Vinh Thuy commune during the 2025 winter-spring crop season. Photo: Tam Phung.

Initial results show a clear effectiveness; the application of alternating wet and dry irrigation (AWD) helps reduce methane (CH₄) emissions by over 60% compared to traditional farming, equivalent to 3-3.3 tons of CO₂e/ha of zero emissions into the environment.

In addition, the model helps save water, reduce material costs, limit pests and diseases, and increase profits for farmers.

Commenting on the model, Mr. Nguyen Bieu, Director of Trieu Thuan Agricultural Cooperative (Trieu Binh commune), said that the cooperative had cultivated over 90 hectares in the summer-autumn crop. Compared to conventionally cultivated fields, the "AWD fields" showed that the rice plants had better aeration, stronger roots, and maintained stable yields.

"More importantly, people understand that this approach is both environmentally friendly and opens up a path to sustainable development. If a carbon credit sales mechanism is established later, farmers will be even more motivated to participate," Mr. Biểu shared.

In Truong Ninh commune, the model has been widely implemented in Dai Huu, Loc Long, Thong Nhat villages, and others.

According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Truong Ninh commune, the total area for the two-crop model is approximately 595 hectares. "The project for reducing emissions in rice production is expected to last 10 years (from 2024 to 2034). This also provides a good opportunity for farmers to access and expand their cultivated area annually," Mr. Khanh said.

The Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative (Truong Ninh commune) has over 150 hectares of rice fields using the AWD (Air-Wide) model for reduced emissions. Mr. Hoang Hai Dan, Director of the Thong Nhat Cooperative, explained that with the AWD production method, farmers can reduce production costs such as irrigation, seed usage, fertilizers, and pesticides by 15%.

"During harvest, farmers see a 15% increase in yield, resulting in a 30% increase in profit compared to conventional production. In addition, there's extra income from carbon credit sales support, which makes them happy and enthusiastic about production," Mr. Dan explained.

The benefits are clear, but scaling up the model requires addressing both technical and resource challenges. According to Mr. Hoang Hai Dan, Director of Thong Nhat Cooperative, a comprehensive mechanism for reducing emissions in rice production is needed to give farmers more peace of mind.

"The processes for measuring, reporting, and assessing emissions require advanced technology and high costs, exceeding the capabilities of many cooperative organizations. Some production areas still lack water level sensors, and digitized data remains fragmented," Mr. Dan added.

Reduced-emission rice production in Quang Tri province has increased production value by approximately 30%. Photo: Tam Phung.

The goal is to reduce emissions by 50% of rice-growing areas by 2030.

According to Ms. Nguyen Hong Phuong, Deputy Director of the Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment, reducing emissions in rice production not only contributes to achieving green agriculture goals but also opens up opportunities for farmers to access the carbon credit market in the future.

"With over 102,000 hectares of rice planted annually, Quang Tri has enormous potential to participate in this market, providing opportunities to both increase income and affirm the position of the agricultural sector in the green development trend," Ms. Phuong said.

According to the plan, Quang Tri aims to have 50% of its rice-growing area participating in the emission reduction program by 2030. Each year, an additional 5,000-10,000 hectares will be developed using emission reduction processes.

"This is a strategic step in the roadmap to achieve the carbon neutrality goal that Vietnam committed to at COP26, and it also affirms Quang Tri's pioneering role in sustainable agricultural development in the North Central region," Ms. Phuong said.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/nong-dan-bat-tay-san-xuat-lua-giam-phat-thai-d790819.html