Double benefits from rice cultivation to reduce emissions

REDUCE PRODUCTION COSTS

Entering the second rice crop to implement the sustainable development project of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030 (1 million hectares of high-quality rice project), Kien Giang attracted many cooperatives to participate. The emission-reducing farming process in the project has been effective, helping farmers reduce costs and increase profits. Farmers' awareness of green and clean production is increasingly raised.

In Hon Dat district (Kien Giang), in 2025, in addition to the pilot area of ​​the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project at two cooperatives, from the capital source of Decree 112/2024/ND-CP of the Government on supporting rice-growing land, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has widely deployed the emission reduction farming process for 24 cooperatives, with a total area of ​​8,000 hectares.

Mr. Huynh Van Huyen, residing in Nguyen Van Hanh hamlet, My Thuan commune (Hon Dat) checks the water level in the delta using an application on his mobile phone.

According to Duong Huy Binh, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hon Dat district, the emission reduction production process is very suitable for the district's production situation in the current climate change conditions. Farmers reduce the amount of seeds sown to 70kg/ha, apply synchronous mechanization from land preparation to harvesting; use fertilizers economically and reasonably; use biological pesticides to help protect the environment. In addition, farmers do a good job of recording field diaries, monitoring water level changes and tightening water according to the principle of alternating flooding and drying to reduce emissions...

Evaluating the production results in the 2024-2025 winter-spring crop, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hon Dat District, Duong Huy Binh, said: “The emission-reducing farming process helps farmers save maximum production costs, contributing to increasing profits. Production costs are estimated to be reduced by about 3.5 million VND/ha, with an average rice yield of 11.2 tons/ha.”

With 18.8 hectares of rice applying the emission reduction farming process in the 2024-2025 winter-spring crop, Mr. Huynh Van Huyen, residing in Nguyen Van Hanh hamlet, My Thuan commune (Hon Dat) said: "This rice crop, the production cost is very low, less than 3 million VND/cong. The rice plants are strong, sturdy, tiller well, less susceptible to pests and diseases, with an estimated yield of over 1 ton/cong. With the price of Japanese rice that DS 1 traders are buying at 7,700 VND/kg, the estimated profit is more than 40 million VND/ha".

BENEFIT FROM SELLING CARBON CREDITS

In addition to receiving support from the State and scientists in infrastructure investment and transfer of farming processes, farmers are also paid by many businesses for selling carbon credits during the emission-reducing farming process.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan - Director of Tan Thuan Agricultural Cooperative, My Thuan commune said: "In the summer-autumn crop of 2024, the cooperative has 70 hectares of rice that will be paid for carbon credits by Net Zero Carbon Company in coordination with BSB Nanotech Company".

Farmers of Hon Dat district and provincial agricultural extension officers exchange farming techniques in the fields.

At the end of the rice crop, the company will analyze and evaluate the amount of emissions reduced on each field through a satellite monitoring and tracking system. After calculating the emission reduction results, the company will pay farmers for carbon credits at a rate of 15 USD/credit. With this approach, in the 2024 summer-autumn rice crop, in addition to the profit from selling rice, farmers will also have an additional source of income from selling carbon credits of about 2.5 million VND/ha.

Mr. Tran Van Khoa - member of Tan Thuan Agricultural Cooperative said: “The positive signal from the first crop when receiving money from selling carbon credits attracted the attention of cooperative members. In the winter-spring crop of 2024-2025, cooperative members eagerly registered their areas to participate in production according to this model. To date, the cooperative has more than 70 households registered to implement emission-reducing rice cultivation, with an area of ​​over 700 hectares. It is expected that by the end of April 2025, Net Zero Carbon Company will pay the cooperative for carbon credits for the winter-spring crop.”

Article and photos: THUY TRANG

Source: https://www.baokiengiang.vn/kinh-te/loi-ich-kep-tu-trong-lua-giam-phat-thai-25388.html