Newsletter, March 2025
Rice: Irony of a staple food that is both vulnerable to climate change and a High GHG Emission
Rice is one of the most important cereal crops in the world and is a pillar of food security in many countries. More than half of the world’s population relies on rice as a staple in their diet.
Despite its importance, many scientific studies have confirmed its vulnerability to climate change. Thus, the conclusions of the various studies indicate that rising temperatures could reduce rice productivity by almost 40% by 2100 as well as production if adaptation measures are not put in place. As an illustration, according to a study published in August 2021 in Agronomy for Sustainable Development, without adaptation of production methods, rainfed rice yields in Senegal would drop by 50% between 2021 and 2100 if we follow the business as usual scenario.
On the other hand, let us note the fact that rice is also one of the main factors contributing to climate change since it is responsible, according to FAO, for 9 to 11% of global methane emissions and about 1.5% of greenhouse gas emissions, which presents a dilemma for decision-makers as to know how to meet the demand for rice and at the same time reduce the environmental impact linked to the rice production. Hence the main question is what adaptation strategies should be put in place to combine increased production and reduced environmental impact?
Several solutions have been recommended, including:
- Varietal adaptation, which consists of choosing rice varieties that are more resistant to heat and more economical in terms of water;
- Cultural adaptation must be carried out in parallel with varietal adaptation, which consists of adopting agroecological intensification techniques, in particular those which help combat drought and improve soil fertility: mulching to limit evaporation, agroforestry to increase shade and reduce wind, or even associated crops to reduce risks and optimize the use of soil resources.
- The promotion of the Rice Intensification System (SRI) which advocates a specific management method for land, plants, water and fertilizers during rice production. It allows a very significant reduction in methane emissions while increasing rice productivity per hectare. The results are surprising: a 47% increase in productivity, a 90% reduction in seed requirements, a 40% reduction in water requirements, and a 23% reduction in production costs.
- Reduces the grey energy associated with importing rice through good planning, enabling only the necessary quantities to be purchased and avoiding waste.
