Can rice farming ever be climate friendly?

About this episode

The episode discusses the potential for climate-friendly rice farming practices and the challenges involved in implementing them.

Traditional rice farming is a major climate problem. Flooded paddy fields release methane, a greenhouse gas 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide. But a Singapore-led project in Indonesia is testing a new way forward. By changing the way rice is planted and grown, researchers say emissions can be cut by up to half, without hurting farmers’ incomes. Arnold Gay speaks to CNA Senior Correspondent Saifulbahri Ismail about the science behind low-methane rice, the challenges of changing long-held farming practices and if consumers will go for a more climate-friendly grain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Arnold Gay

Guest: Saifulbahri Ismail

Topics covered

• climate change
• rice farming
• methane emissions
• agriculture
• sustainable practices

Keywords

• rice farming
• climate friendly
• methane
• greenhouse gas
• sustainable agriculture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CNA

Places: Singapore, Indonesia

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