Rice cultivation produces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 239 million cars annually, nearly doubling since the 1960s, according to a new study by environment and agriculture scientists (fortune.com). The research highlights rice paddies as the largest emissions source in agriculture outside of livestock, with global emissions averaging 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent per year in the 2010s.
The rise in emissions is driven by two main factors: the expansion of rice-growing areas and intensified farming practices. Since the 1960s, the global area dedicated to rice cultivation has grown significantly, with Africa’s rice-growing area doubling, contributing to a twofold increase in emissions. Intensification of management practices has also played a substantial role in this growth.
Rice is a staple food for more than half the world’s population, making its cultivation critical to global food security. However, the flooded soils required for rice cultivation create conditions that release climate-warming gases. While farmers can adopt “climate-smart” practices to reduce emissions by about 10% by midcentury, the study emphasizes that more effective strategies are necessary to achieve greater reductions and mitigate climate change impacts.
Looking ahead, the study suggests that developing new methods beyond current best practices is essential to curb emissions from rice farming. As rice demand continues to rise globally, balancing food production with environmental sustainability will be a key challenge for policymakers and agricultural scientists.