GHG Emissions: Drivers, Consequences & Challenges
A Nature Food study reveals paddy cultivation emissions have nearly doubled since the 1960s, highlighting urgent climate-smart agricultural reforms globally.
Current Facts and Data
- Emission Rise: Global paddy emissions reached 1.1 billion tonnes CO₂-e/year (2011–20), 90.4% higher than 1961–80.
- Carbon Reversal: Paddy fields absorbed 289 Mt CO₂-e/year in 1961–80, but one-third became carbon sources by the 2010s.
- Hotspot: Eastern India is a global methane hotspot due to flooded, low-oxygen paddy fields.
- Area Expansion: India’s paddy area grew 25%, covering 55% of rainfed harvested land.
- Methane Output: India’s irrigated paddy emits 3.9 Mt of methane annually, exceeding Germany’s annual methane emissions.
Drivers of Rising GHG Emissions from Paddy Cultivation in India
- Area Expansion: A 25% paddy expansion since the 1970s raised methane emissions to 3.9 Mt annually.
- Flood Irrigation: Continuous waterlogging creates anaerobic conditions, contributing 8–12% of global anthropogenic methane emissions.
- Input Intensification: Excess fertilisers and residue incorporation caused nearly 50% of emission growth through soil carbon loss.
- Climate Stress: Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall could increase rice emissions by 25% during 2031–2050.
- Policy Bias: MSP and irrigation incentives favour paddy, while agriculture contributes about 14% of India’s GHG emissions.
Consequences of Rising GHG Emissions from Paddy Cultivation
- Climate Impact: Paddy emits 1.1 billion tonnes of CO₂-e annually, accelerating warming and intensifying climate change globally.
- Resource Degradation: One-third of global paddy fields became carbon sources, reducing soil fertility and groundwater sustainability.
- Environmental Pollution: Excess fertilizers release nitrous oxide (273× CO₂ potential), while residue burning worsens PM2.5 pollution.
- Biodiversity Loss: Paddy occupies 55% of India’s rainfed harvested area, displacing indigenous crops and agro-biodiversity significantly.
- Economic Burden: 3.9 million tonnes of methane emissions increase irrigation costs, reducing farmers’ profitability and long-term resilience.
Government Initiatives for Reducing GHG Emissions from Paddy Cultivation
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Challenges in Reducing GHG Emissions from Paddy Cultivation
- Economic Constraints: Over 86% of Indian farmers are smallholders, limiting the affordability of low-emission technologies and mechanisation.
- Institutional Gaps: India has over 146 million farm holdings, but extension services remain inadequate for widespread climate-smart adoption.
- Climatic Risks: India has only 4% of global freshwater supporting 18% of the world’s population, intensifying irrigation stress.
- Policy Distortions: Rice receives the largest MSP procurement, encouraging cultivation even in water-stressed states like Punjab and Haryana.
- Governance Deficit: India has no explicit agricultural GHG reduction target despite agriculture contributing about 14% of national emissions.
Way Forward for Low-Emission Paddy Cultivation
- Climate-Smart Farming: Scale up AWD, SRI, and Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) to reduce methane, water use, and emissions.
- Sustainable Incentives: Link carbon markets, MSP reforms, and green subsidies to reward low-emission rice cultivation practices.
- Regional Strategies: Develop state-specific rice policies based on agro-climatic conditions, water availability, and soil characteristics.
- Smart Technologies: Promote AI, drones, soil sensors, precision fertilisation, and digital advisories for climate-smart rice farming.
- Integrated Sustainability: Encourage crop diversification, soil carbon restoration, efficient irrigation, and alignment with India’s NDCs and LT-LEDS.
“Climate-Smart Fields, Food-Secure Future”; by integrating innovation, farmer-centric incentives, and sustainable practices, India can build a globally resilient and climate-resilient rice production system.
Reference: The Hindu
PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 759
Q. The biggest challenge to India’s rice economy is not increasing production but reducing its environmental footprint. Discuss the drivers and consequences of rising greenhouse gas emissions from paddy cultivation. Also, suggest measures to promote climate-smart and low-emission rice cultivation. (250 Words) (15 Marks)
Approach
- Introduction: Write a contextual introduction about paddy cultivation and rising GHG emissions.
- Body: Write about the key drivers and consequences of rising greenhouse gas emissions from paddy cultivation. Also, suggest measures to promote climate-smart and low-emission rice cultivation.
- Conclusion: Emphasise climate-smart and technology-driven rice cultivation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen food security, and enhance agricultural sustainability.
