S16E2: Rice｜A Sticky Climate Challenge

Sustainable Asia

Over half of the world’s population eats rice as its staple food. But did you know that rice production also contributes to about 10% of the world's methane emissions? And that methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in warming the planet? Reining in rice methane is a sticky problem. Different rice types and growing strategies to limit methane often create other problems like lower farming yields. An innovative SRI method developed in Madagascar in the 1960s increases yields and has the promise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions And if that’s not good enough news…Scientists in China, the world's largest rice producer, are collaborating with U.S. researchers to cultivate a hybrid rice that will be a game changer for our ever-warming planet.

Guests (in order of appearance):

Dr. Uphoff, Cornell University

Dr Niu Kunyu, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Kenneth Graves, Arkansas Rice Growers Association

Dr Lu Shihua, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Tim Crews, The Land Institute

Dr Fengyi Hu, Yunnan University

Production credits:

Executive Producer: Marcy Trent Long

Co-Host and Producer: Chermaine Lee

Sound Engineer: Estima

Associate Producers: Sam LiXiaoYu, Zack Chiang, Lara-Nour Walton

Contributing Editor: Jill Baxter

Music Composition: Cole Chiu

Intro/outro music: Alex Mauboussin

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Resources:

This podcast series is part of a Wilson Center China Environment Forum and Ohio State University initiative called Cultivating U.S. and Chinese Climate Leadership on Food and Agriculture. The initiative explores the actions both these “food superpowers” are taking to rein in agri-food greenhouse gas emissions and identifies potential areas of mutual learning and collaboration.

Blogs from the China Environment Forum:

• Soil’s Key Role in Fighting Climate Change in U.S. and Chinese Agriculture: The Wisdom of Dr. Rattan Lal
• Milking the Dairy Industry for Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China
• Rice: A Recipe for Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U. S. and China?
• The Forgotten Greenhouse Gas: Nitrous Oxide as an Issue for U.S. and Chinese Agriculture
• Farming Our Future Carbon Neutral Agriculture in the US and China

China Environment Forum Webinars:

• Reining in the Methane Hoofprint of Cows in California
• The Blue Planet Turns Green: Algae Fouls Waters as the World Struggles to Grow More Food in a Changing Climate
• Opportunities for Enhanced Near-term U.S.-China Climate Action: The Food System
• Digging into Soil for Food Security and Climate: A Green Tea Chat With Rattan Lal, 2020 World Food Prize Winner
• Mapping China’s Pathway to a Carbon-neutral Food System
• Climate Action Down on the Farm: Food and Climate Nexus Opportunities in China and the US

LOGO images Created by Jennifer Nguyen and Ann Williams

Cartoon tractor is from NatBasil/Shutterstock, farmer from Canva