Last Updated on May 22, 2026 by Staff
Rice is an important food crop. It feeds more than half of the people in the world every day. Rice is grown in places, like Southeast Asia, India and China. It helps people have food and also helps rural areas have jobs. Rice farming helps billions of people and now scientists say it also adds to climate change.
A recent study in Nature Food found that greenhouse gas emissions from rice paddies have increased a lot since the 1960s. Researchers think rice production now releases around 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions every year. To understand how pollution this is, scientists compared it to the yearly emissions of nearly 239 million cars.
The study shows that rice farming is now one of the agricultural sources of greenhouse gases not including livestock production. As the world’s population grows and people want rice the environmental impact of rice farming might get worse unless farming methods change.
Why Emissions Rise
The study says that rice emissions have increased because of two reasons: more rice is being grown and farming practices have changed. Over the past few decades, countries in Asia and Africa have grown more rice to meet food demand. In Africa the land used for rice has doubled since the 1960s leading to methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas made by microbes in flooded soils.
Farmers now use fertilizers, straw, manure and high-yield crop varieties. These methods increase rice production. Also make more greenhouse gases.
One major contributor to emissions is leaving rice stalks in fields after harvest. Plowing them back into the soil. This improves soil fertility. Also increases organic matter in flooded fields. Microbes break down this material. Release methane into the air. This practice was responsible for 18% of the increase in rice-related emissions since the 1960s.
Hidden Gas Threats
Rice paddies make greenhouse gases, especially methane and nitrous oxide. Methane forms in oxygen-poor soils while nitrous oxide is linked to fertilizer use. The researchers found that synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use increased by around 76% after 2000. This increase boosted oxide emissions, another greenhouse gas that traps heat.
Water management practices also affect emissions. Traditionally rice paddies stay flooded throughout the growing season creating conditions for methane-producing microbes. Recently many farmers have started using flooding, where fields are periodically drained.
This method lowers methane emissions. Has a trade-off. As soils shift between dry conditions microbes release more nitrous oxide. Scientists say balancing these emissions is a challenge in sustainable rice farming.
The study also noted that rising global temperatures make the situation worse. Warmer conditions increase activity in soils leading to even higher greenhouse gas production.
Smarter Farming Methods
Despite the challenges researchers say there are ways to reduce emissions without lowering rice yields.
The study found that better fertilizer management, reduced residue application, improved irrigation practices and reduced tillage could lower rice emissions by about 10% by the middle of this century.
One promising solution is the use of biochar. By leaving large amounts of straw in the fields farmers can convert some crop residue into biochar. When mixed into soils biochar helps store carbon and reduces methane production.
Improved water management also showed results. Allowing fields to dry temporarily during the growing season significantly lowers methane emissions. This method works in regions, with reliable irrigation systems.
Reducing fertilizer use can also cut emissions while saving farmers money and lowering water pollution. Scientists emphasize that overusing nitrogen fertilizers often does not improve crop yields but greatly increases damage.
Future Of Rice
Researchers stress that no single farming method will work everywhere. Different regions have climates, soil types and irrigation systems meaning each area will need customized solutions.
In regions reducing tillage may help store soil carbon and lower emissions. In flooded regions however reduced tillage can sometimes increase methane production. This shows how complex climate-friendly rice farming can be.
Scientists remain hopeful. They believe that designed “climate-smart” farming strategies can reduce emissions while continuing to feed billions of people. However current methods alone may not be enough to solve the problem.
Future progress will require farming guidance, improved technologies and new scientific approaches that reduce greenhouse gases without harming food production. As climate change intensifies, the future of rice farming may depend on how the world adopts sustainable agricultural solutions.