Source: E-Korea (Photo via Pixabay)

Global companies and institutions are actively reducing greenhouse gas emissions across various sectors. These efforts are not limited to secondary industries like manufacturing; primary industries, such as agriculture, are also emerging as crucial targets for emission reductions.

According to a McKinsey report, agriculture accounts for 40% to 50% of global methane emissions. In Asia, in particular, rice, the staple food, is the crop with the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions among all grains. This is because longer periods of flooded water in rice paddies during cultivation activate soil methanogens, leading to active methane gas generation.

At the center of these efforts is the low-carbon rice paddy water management farming method. By utilizing the “alternate wetting and drying” method—systematically flooding and draining fields according to the rice growth cycle—farmers can cut methane emissions by up to 40% while reducing agricultural water use by 28.8%.

Korean climate-tech startup THANKS CARBON is also standing out in this sector. Partnering with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), ThanksCarbon is participating in the ASEAN-Korea Methane Mitigation Project. Last March, they announced the successful outcomes of their AWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying) project conducted in Cambodia, stating, “In addition to methane reduction, there are benefits such as stronger root formation, reduced pest damage, and increased crop yields.”

Source: Ekoreanews / Reporter Ho-kyung Yoo / lawyeryu@naver.com