Climate change disproportionately affects poor countries and communities. Because traditional farming practices are resource-intensive and a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture is both highly vulnerable and a key opportunity for low-cost mitigation.
This project targets methane emissions and water scarcity in rice farming by combining satellite monitoring with direct farmer incentives to promote techniques like Alternate Wetting and Drying and Direct Seeded Rice – practices that can reduce methane emissions by up to 79%, conserve groundwater, and reduce electricity demand for irrigation.
Satellite-based verification makes it viable to track sustainable practices across fragmented smallholdings. The project team’s approach turns small-scale agriculture into a platform for measurable emissions reductions while improving farmer livelihoods.