ASEAN Member States and Japan Reaffirm Commitment to Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Tokyo, Japan (March 17-19, 2025) – As greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions drive climate change, which in turn threatens agricultural productivity, the need for timely intervention has become more urgent—especially in regions where rice is a primary source of nutrition.. Key actors came together at the ASEAN-Japan Workshop on Carbon Neutrality, Food Security, and Agricultural Innovation aimed to share strategies for carbon neutrality in agriculture, promote collaboration between ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Japanese companies to co-develop climate-smart solutions and enhance agricultural competitiveness in the ASEAN region through low-carbon practices and technologies. 

ISARC holds training for farmers to make rice production in India environmentally sustainable

The IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) organised a two-day training session for farmers on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water-use efficiency, and soil health measurements in rice-based systems to make rice cultivation sustainable and increase yields and profitability of farmers.

IRRI, CCAFS support the promotion of climate-smart rice production in Vietnam

Dr. Nguyen Viet Khoa, head of Training and Education Division of the National Agriculture Extension Center, presenting the draft modules on climate-smart rice production. Photo by: NAEC

To mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation in rice production, the National Agriculture Extension Center (NAEC) of Vietnam developed a set of training materials on climate-smart rice production for extension staff and rice farmers. With the help of experts from the various agencies attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, such as the institutes of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, NAEC drafted updated modules and presentations on the different steps of rice production and on effective communication and extension.

Eight specific modules were developed tackling topics such as adaptive cropping calendar (rice varieties, soil preparation, and crop establishment); water management; waste and by-product management, reducing post-harvest losses; and scaling and evaluation. For the first time a specific module on climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in rice production has been included in the training outline as well. Alongside improving the clarity of lessons, the participants were also trained on how to keep the interest and attention of farmers, another crucial element for a successful training. The modules are intended to be used in the rice intensive region of Red River Delta, and eventually later-on, in the Mekong River Delta.