Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture
In recent years, although the rice planting area in China has fluctuated, the yield per unit of area of rice has continued to increase. At the same time, rice fields are also the main source of methane (CH4) emissions in China (187 Mt CO2e), accounting for 40.1% of the total methane emissions from agricultural activities in the country. Given that over 60% of China’s population relies on rice as their staple food, improving rice quality and ensuring an efficient supply are paramount prerequisites for the strategic shift towards low-carbon rice production.
Faced with future challenges related to climate change, rice supply, and the imperative to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration, the implementation of China’s low-carbon rice production strategy requires comprehensive consideration of both human interventions and nature-based solutions. Human interventions include variety selection, optimized irrigation, fertilization, and cultivation, as well as the collaborative development of bio-fertilizer products and high-efficiency machinery. Nature-based solutions primarily involve practices such as green manure planting and the implementation of diverse crop rotation systems to enhance biodiversity within the overall crop management and intensive rice production system.
