IRRI leads GHG mitigation capacity-building activities in Thailand

Figure 1. Participants performed greenhouse gas collection during the field visit.

Photo courtesy: Ryan Romansanta

Scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and local partners, held capacity-building activities for government officers under the Thai Rice Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) Project. Under this project, IRRI aims to contribute to the calculation and verification of the prospected emission reductions and monitoring of co-benefits in the field; and provide advice and training on field implementation of the mitigation technologies.

One of the general activities of the project is to strengthen the national capacities of the agricultural institution-partners and local structures to maintain the country’s NAMAs. The workshop activities were organized to provide capacity development for appointed government units on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission monitoring systems and related tools.

Figure 2. Participants attending the hands-on laboratory activity

Photo Courtesy: Rujirat Wongchangdaeng

The workshops comprised a mix of virtual and on-site sessions in the Suphanburi Province and were  participated by a total of 70 government officers and delegates from the Thai Rice Department and 13 regional centers. Key greenhouse gas emissions and climate change principles, and how rice cultivation contribute to greenhouse gas emissions were emphasized and complemented with practical exercises and brainstorming sessions on several topics including; gas chromatography (GC) operation, maintenance, and gas collection techniques, and an analysis of challenges encountered during the gas sampling and unit operation activities. 

The lectures also featured the Source-Selective and Emission-Adjusted GHG Calculator for Rice SECTOR tool, an application which provides potential GHG estimates associated with the users’ defined management practices, among other estimations. 

Presenters during the workshop (virtual and physical) included IRRI Scientist Dr. Bjoern Ole Sander, Dr. Thomas Jäkel, Dr. Laddawan Kunnoot, Dr.Nittaya Cha-un, Dr. Duangporn Vithoonjit, and Ryan Romasanta.

Visit https://ghgmitigation.irri.org/home or download IRRI’s Climate Change Strategy to learn more about IRRI’s GHG Mitigation research and tools.

###

Learn more about IRRI (www.irri.org) or follow us on social media and networks (all links down the right column).