INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY

TABLE
OF CONTENTS

RICE AND CLIMATE CHANGE 1

MITIGATION 3

ADAPTATION
7

GENDER
10

NEXT STEPS 11

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INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY

RICE AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
Rice is the world’s most important staple food for some 4 billion people, while in Asia, the
poorest of the poor derive up to 70% of their calorie intake from rice. The crop is produced
by some 144 million farm households, and harvested from 166 million hectares annually.
Rice farming is associated with poverty in many areas. About 900 million of the world’s poor
depend on rice as producers or consumers, and out of these, some 400 million poor and
undernourished people are engaged in growing rice.

Because of its geographic expansion and typical manner of wetland cultivation, worldwide
rice production contributes about 10% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the
agricultural sector, mainly because of methane (CH4) emissions from continuously flooded
wetland rice fields (Fig. 1). Flooded rice environments account for around 20% of the total
global CH4 flux, thus significantly contributing to climate change. Climate change, in its
turn, threatens the very production of rice through the effects of higher temperatures and
more frequent droughts and flooding, as well as sea-level rise, which imperils rice production
in mega-deltas and coastal zones. Reduced global rice production endangers food security
and hampers poor consumers and producers emerging out of poverty (Fig. 2).

Figure 1. Methane production from rice fields.

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INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY

Figure 2. Vicious cycle between emissions of GHGs from rice fields, their impact on global
warming, and the effects of global warming on rice production.

MITIGATION
Globally rice cultivation is the third-largest source of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions in
agriculture, next to livestock and all croplands, mainly because of methane (CH4) emissions
from continuously flooded wetland rice fields (EPA, 2021). However, the relative mitigation
potential for rice (36%) is much higher than that of livestock (9%), and croplands (3%) (Roe et
al., 2021; EPA, 2021; Fig. 3). This presents immense opportunities for reductions of methane
and other greenhouse gases, and for channeling climate funding to rural communities and
smallholder rice farmers.

Figure 3. GHG emissions and mitigation potential in the agricultural sector. From: Roe et al.,
2021.

Hence, the challenge is to 1) mitigate climate change through the reduction of GHG arising
from the production of rice, while at the same time 2) adapt rice ecosystems to the effects of
climate change. IRRI’s climate change strategy and action plans encompass both mitigation
and adaptation, and is executed through a portfolio of project grants and One CGIAR
Initiatives (Box 1).

Box 1. Large One CGIAR Initiatives addressing climate change to which IRRI’s climate change
strategy contributes.
Mitigation and Transformation Initiative for GHG reductions of Agrifood sys- To capitalize on these opportunities, IRRI established a virtual Center of Excellence for GHG
tems RelaTed Emissions (MITIGATE+) mitigation in rice. Together with relevant local and global partners from the public and
private sectors, IRRI provides global leadership in R&D on low-emission rice-based farming
Building Systemic Resilience Against Climate Variability and Extremes systems and value chains. Research stretches across the whole impact pathway continuum,
(ClimBeR) from upstream research to adoption enablers to reaching impact at scale in terms of
reduced GHG emissions and increased carbon sequestration (Figs. 4, 5).
Securing the Food Systems of Asian Mega‐Deltas for Climate and Livelihood
Resilience (AMD)

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Figure 4. Impact pathway of IRRI’s climate change mitigation strategy.’ IRRI invests in the following solutions that form part of an integrated
action-framework along the impact pathway:

•
At plant level
Identification of traits and underlying genes that control fluxes of O2, CO2, and methane
within the plant-root system, and of production of root exudates that feed the methane-

•
producing microbes in the soil; and
Screening and development of low-methane-emitting rice cultivars.

•
At the plant-soil-atmosphere interface, at field and farm level
Understanding of the process of methanogenesis and the identification of entry
points to manipulate the system to reduce methane emissions; capturing improved
understanding in process-based simulation models such as an integrated ORYZA-DNDC

••
model;
Identification of potential methane inhibitors and/or soil amendments;
Identification and development of soil-water-nutrient management practices, including

•
residue management, at field level to reduce methane emissions (Box 2);
Development of low-methane emission post-harvest practices for managing and
processing crop residues, such as composting, bio-char production, and alternative uses

•
such as mushroom production (Box 2); and
Promotion of novel methodologies for certifying integrated emission reduction actions
Figure 5. Activity-framework of IRRI’s climate change mitigation strategy. through accepted approaches, such as the rice carbon credit market.

•
At landscape and regional scales
Development of suitability indicators and maps for spatial-explicit targeting of

•
innovations;
Development of spatial monitoring tools based on remote sensing, in-field sensors,

•
simulation modeling, geographic information systems, and ground-truthing; and
Training and capacity development of implementation partners, including farmers,
extension agents and advisory services, NGOs, and private sector partners.

•
At regional and national scales
Development of a suite of integrated Monitoring, Verification, and Reporting tools and

••
facilitation of carbon credit markets for rice (Box 3);
Conduct adoption and impact assessment studies of technology adoption;
Providing support to the development of policies and interventions that are conducive to
adoption of mitigation technologies, processes and procedures, and to the establishment

•
and smooth functioning of rice carbon credit markets;
Supporting and advising governments to repurpose the price policy, public expenditures,
and other forms of support to rice production in favor of suitable innovation bundles for
mitigation; and

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• Engaging in multistakeholder platforms and mechanisms for transformative and

sustainable outscaling of climate change mitigating practices and mechanisms in the
rice sector.

Box 2. Opportunities for the reduction of methane during rice production and postharvest.

ADAPTATION
Of all crop species, rice has the most genetic potential for
adaptation to climate change as it is grown in environments
that range from drought-prone uplands, through puddled
wetlands, to flood-prone deepwater systems (Box 4).
Hence, an important component of IRRI’s climate change
adaptation strategy revolves around the development and
deployment of novel rice varieties with enhanced tolerance to
drought, flooding, salinity, heat, and even low temperatures.
Like in IRRI’s mitigation strategy, the adaptation strategy
stretches across the whole impact pathway continuum, from
upstream research to adoption enablers to reaching impact
at scale in terms of increased resilience to climate change
and climatic shocks (Figs 6, 7).
Box 3. IRRI’s monitoring, reporting, and verification toolbox for rice.

Box 4. Diverse rice ecologies from drought-prone uplands to deepwater rice.

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Figure 6. Impact pathway of IRRI’s climate change adaptation strategy. IRRI invests in the following solutions that form part of an integrated action-framework
along the impact pathway:

•
At plant level
Trait and gene discovery related to climate extremes (abiotic stresses); continuous biotic
stress trait discovery for Blast, Bacterial Leaf Blight, Brown Plant Hopper, Rice Yellow

•
Mottle Virus, and nematodes;
Development of new high-yielding rice varieties tolerant to multiple climate-change
induced stresses, such as heat, drought, flooding, cold, and new emerging pests and

•
diseases; and
Varieties suitable for mechanized direct dry seeding (DSR).

••
At field and farm level
Mechanized Dry Direct Seeded Rice (DSR);
Diversified cropping and farming systems, including fish/shrimp-rice farming; climate-

•
adjusted cropping calendars; and
Tools for identification, mapping, and forecasting of biotic stress - pathogens (interface
with landscape level);

•
Figure 7. Activity-framework of IRRI’s climate change adaptation strategy. At landscape and regional scales
Mapping of climate risks (i.e., drought, floods, salinity, heat, cold, biotic stresses), real-time
extreme weather events and weather-related disasters such as flooding and typhoon

•
damage, and damages to rice crops;
Development of suitability indicators and maps for spatial-explicit targeting of

•
innovations; and
Training and capacity development of implementation partners, including farmers,
extension agents and advisory services, NGOs, and private sector partners.

••
At regional and national scales
Conduct of adoption and impact assessment studies of technology adoption;
Providing support to the development of policies that are conducive to adoption of

•
adaptation technologies, processes, and procedures;
Building capacity for policies that bring together local needs and available tools to enable
governance for resilience, working across levels, scales, and sectors and drawing out

•
“champions of change” who can advocate for local investment and empowerment;
Supporting and advising governments to repurpose the price policy, public expenditures,
and other forms of support to rice production in favor of suitable innovation bundles for

•
adaptation;
Improved seed delivery systems (of climate-resilient varieties – see above);

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• Engaging in multistakeholder platforms and mechanisms for

transformative and sustainable outscaling of climate-change adaptation

•
practices and mechanisms in the rice sector; and
Ensuring gender and social equity, because a climate-resilient, nutrition-

NEXT STEPS
secure future will require gender sensitive policy, ensuring grassroots
voices are heard and women, youth, and marginalized groups are
included.

IRRI operationalizes the strategy through a well-

balanced portfolio of upstream-to-downstream bilateral
and OneCGIAR projects. Capitalizing on current
strengths, IRRI will invest in novel research areas – and
develop new partnerships – to develop next-generation
solutions such as low-carbon farming, rice carbon
credit markets, and policy support and analyses. At the

GENDER
same time, IRRI will collaborate with local, national, and
international partners to co-create and disseminate
solutions ‘at scale’ and to support the development
Women contribute significantly to rice production. Within rice value chains, and implementation of national development plans to
female family members participate in rice production and in postharvest, reduce GHG emissions and adapt to climate change.
processing, and marketing operations. Through farming, they significantly
contribute to food security in the household, nationally, and globally. However,
women’s contribution in the rice sector is often overlooked and undervalued,
and many impediments hinder women realizing their full potential. Women
face barriers and inequalities in terms of access to and control over such
resources as land, capital, and credit as well as access to agricultural inputs
and technology. Moreover, women and marginalized groups in society often
suffer relatively most from adverse impacts of climate change.
IRRI aims to improve livelihoods and
Besides participating in the production, processing, and marketing of rice, nutrition, abolishing poverty, hunger
women are also instrumental in development. Women work as a catalyst for and malnutrition among those who
change and are a major driver of growth and development. Empowerment of depend on rice-based agri-food
women by ensuring their equal access to resources, inputs, and technologies systems. In doing so, IRRI’s work
and allowing them to have greater control over income and assets can protects the health of rice farmers and
accelerate the pace of mitigation of – and adaptation to – climate change, consumers, and the environmental
ultimately contributing to household food security, health and nutrition, and sustainability of rice farming in a world
poverty reduction. Hence, IRRI’s climate change strategy explicitly recognizes challenged by climate change. IRRI’s
the important role women play both as participants in rice value chains
work promotes the empowerment of
and as catalysts of transformative change. In developing and disseminating
women and supports opportunities for
solutions, IRRI will pay particular attention to women’s needs, involve them in
youth in an equitable agri-food system.
targeted capacity development, and strengthen their role in participation and
outreach programs. IRRI is a member of the One CGIAR.

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