The Rural Development Administration (RDA) of Korea is promoting a new “low-carbon rice cultivation technology” aimed at reducing greenhouse gases and cutting energy costs in rice farming. This initiative comes in response to the prolonged climate crisis and energy supply chain instability, as part of efforts to transform agriculture from a “carbon-emitting industry” to a “reduction industry.”
This new technology consists of three main components: dry-field harrowing, multiple water draining, and an ICT-based water management meter.
The key technique, “dry-field harrowing,” involves preparing the soil without water and flooding the field right before planting. Compared to traditional methods, this approach can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from agricultural machinery by 17.7% and methane emissions by 14%. It also improves water quality, reducing suspended solids by 96% and total phosphorus by 86%.
Farmers participating in pilot projects have responded positively due to the technology’s effectiveness in labor distribution and cost reduction. With increased awareness, the adoption of this technology is expected to expand quickly. Concerns about reduced quantity and quality of crops have been relatively minor, as productivity showed an approximately 2% increase, but this was not statistically significant, indicating similar outcomes to traditional methods.
The “multiple water draining” technique involves periodically draining water during the rice growth period, which can reduce methane emissions by up to 44% compared to constant flooding. This method is simplified compared to previous techniques, such as “shallow intermittent irrigation,” making it more feasible for farmers to implement.
Additionally, the ICT-based water management meter can automatically measure and store the water level and task execution status in the field, reducing the need for farmers to manually photograph and submit records. This enables the verification of greenhouse gas reduction through data, opening up possibilities for integration into carbon emissions trading.
Each device costs around 300,000 KRW. For a 30-hectare farm, the combination of subsidies and cost savings could yield an economic benefit of approximately 8.7 million KRW.
Overall, this technology represents a significant shift in agricultural practices towards sustainability, with RDA planning to expand nationwide pilot projects and field education. They also aim to enhance linkages with low-carbon agricultural programs and certification systems, ensuring that farmers’ efforts to reduce carbon can be rewarded appropriately. The RDA plans to strengthen institutional frameworks to make agriculture a crucial component of the nation’s carbon neutrality efforts.