As climate change increasingly impacts global agriculture, innovative solutions are emerging to reduce its environmental footprint.
To address this, experts are advocating for climate-smart practices like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation, which can mitigate methane emissions while ensuring food security.
A recent workshop on Greenhouse Gas and Methane Mitigation in Bangladesh Reducing Agricultural Methane Program (RAMP) held at BRRI in Gazipur brought together journalists, researchers, and policymakers to explore these solutions and discuss the pivotal role of media in promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
In Bangladesh, one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, agriculture not only contributes to greenhouse gas emissions but also suffers from its effects.
Methane emissions from rice cultivation, a major agricultural practice in the region, are a significant environmental challenge.
The event brought together national journalists, representatives from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with the aim of fostering greater awareness about the role of climate-smart practices in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
In this event experts said, agriculture, a critical sector in Bangladesh, is both a contributor to and a victim of climate change. Methane emissions from rice cultivation and livestock pose significant environmental challenges.
They added that however, climate-smart practices, such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation, offer promising solutions to reduce these emissions while safeguarding food security. Understanding and adopting these strategies are essential for Bangladesh, where agriculture is a primary livelihood for millions of people.
IFAD said, the workshop underscored the importance of awareness-building on methane reduction, which is key to advancing these climate-smart practices. The media, in particular, plays a pivotal role in disseminating complex information to the public. Engaging journalists, policymakers, and researchers can accelerate the adoption of solutions like AWD irrigation, which has proven effective in reducing methane emissions from rice farming.
Rilla Kirk, program manager, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said: "Having been a farmer, an agricultural journalist, and someone with extensive experience in development work, I strongly oppose misinformation that lacks a scientific basis. I believe this collaboration will be instrumental in tackling such challenges. By providing accurate information, we can help people develop a clearer and more informed understanding of important issues."
She added: “With so much happening in the world — constant news, daily changes, and political shifts — it’s crucial not to lose sight of climate change, which underlies many of these issues. Today, you’ll hear a lot about methane, particularly in relation to greenhouse gases, as it's a key focus of the project. While carbon dioxide is often discussed, methane is also a significant greenhouse gas, though it may not always be top of mind. Understanding how it is produced and why it matters is essential.”
The daylong event provided an overview of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, with a particular focus on methane from rice cultivation.
Experts from IFAD, BRRI, and other institutions discussed methane reduction strategies, the alignment of national policies with Bangladesh's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the socio-economic benefits of AWD adoption.
Experts said that as Bangladesh strengthens its climate resilience efforts, introducing climate-smart practices like AWD requires close collaboration among government agencies, researchers, practitioners, and the media. This initiative is especially timely, given the urgency of addressing climate change's impact on the agricultural sector.
In the workshop, experts presented some research, where Methane Program JK Biswas, senior technical consultant, RAMP, IFAD presented about “The Reducing Agricultural Methane Program”; MM Hossain, SSO BRRI, focused on GHG emission from rice fields and their management; SMM Islam, SSO, BRRI on GHG emission and mitigation with special reference to NDC; Parimal Kumar Ray, representative of Bangladesh Share the Planet Association, presented the report on the socio-economic aspects of AWD adoption; and MM Alam, head, IWM presented BRRI research on AWD.
Also present were Dr Mohammad Khalequzzaman, director general, BRRI, Dr Md Rafiqul Islam, director (Research); and Dr Md Anwarul Haque, director (Admin and CS), BRRI.
