The steady flooding methodology of rice farming is a significant contributor to local weather change due to its excessive tendency to emit methane into the environment. It is clear that local weather change is already having devastating impacts on individuals, livelihoods, and important ecosystems throughout the globe.
The adoption of Alternative Wetting and Drying (AWD) method, has been recognized as efficient in lowering methane emissions in rice farming. Evidence reveals that by way of AWD software, rice farmers are ready to enhance effectivity of water use with out lowering their rice yields. AWD has been recognized as an efficient local weather sensible measure that doesn’t solely mitigate emissions however prepares rice farmers to adapt to a altering local weather that impacts the availability of water.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is constructing the capacity of Agricultural and Environmental Officers together with Irrigation Scheme Managers for the promotion and the adoption of the AWD expertise by rice farmers to cut back methane emissions. The coaching is a key capacity constructing exercise of the “Alternative Wetting and Drying for Sustainable Rice Production” undertaking which was developed out of the cooperative settlement between the Governments of Ghana and Switzerland below Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. The settlement falls below a $42 million pay-for-results collaboration between the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and UNDP.
“We have been studying essential classes on Alternative Wetting and Drying strategy of rice farming and that is efficient in stopping extreme water loss and prevention of methane emissions. So, this coaching supplied a platform for us to share such information with frontline agriculture, environmental, and irrigation officers, to improve their capacity to protect the environment from methane emissions’’, famous Abdul-Razak Saeed, Programme Analyst, Climate Action at UNDP Ghana.
The coaching, which is the first of many, is designed to enhance the information and capacity of Agric Extension Officers, Ghana Irrigation Development Authority and Environmental Protection Agency, all drawn from the Central, Western, Volta, Eastern, Ashanti, Upper East, Upper West, Northern, and Greater Accra Regions of Ghana.
Moses Kodjotse, Field Operations Manager at Astutuare-Kpong at Shai Osudoku District in the Eastern Region described the coaching as an insightful one that may affect his irrigation methods.
“A lot has been learnt from this training and from here I am also going to pass on this information to the farmers so that we can become more effective in water efficiency management and be climate conscious”, Mr. Kodjotse famous.
At the coaching, contributors have been taken by way of matters comparable to overview of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), emissions accounting, environmental impacts of paddy irrigation (flooding), efficient use of AWD method, monitoring, documentation, and verification necessities. They have been additionally inspired to forge stronger collaborations at the native stage to apply environment friendly water utilization and protect the environment for individuals and the planet.
The undertaking is focusing on rice farmers in about 78% of Ghana’s rice manufacturing areas to undertake the AWD expertise. This is predicted to end in an emission discount goal of 1.1 million tCO2e by 2030; present further revenue by way of carbon income to farmers for elevated resilience; and promote adoption of water use effectivity practices for rice cultivation. The aim is to advance the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly aim 13 on Climate Action.
Source: UNDP Ghana
