• Energy Research

La producción de arroz en Vietnam se caracteriza por la degradación ambiental, las altas emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y las bajas tasas salariales. El estándar de la Plataforma del Arroz Sostenible (SRP) es el primer estándar de producción sostenible certificado reconocido a nivel mundial para el arroz. Hay esfuerzos para aumentar la sostenibilidad en la producción de arroz, pero se sabe poco sobre la percepción de los consumidores sobre las etiquetas de sostenibilidad. Este estudio investiga la relación entre el conocimiento del cambio climático y la disposición del consumidor a pagar por el arroz certificado SRP en los supermercados vietnamitas. Los resultados muestran que los consumidores están dispuestos a pagar en promedio una prima de precio del 29% por el arroz etiquetado con SRP. Un mayor conocimiento sobre el cambio climático y mayores ingresos influyen positivamente en la cantidad que los consumidores están dispuestos a pagar. Los resultados tienen implicaciones políticas y de mercado para escalar la producción y el consumo de arroz que cumpla con los estándares de producción sostenible certificados en Vietnam. La production de riz au Vietnam est caractérisée par la dégradation de l'environnement, de fortes émissions de gaz à effet de serre et de faibles taux de salaire. La norme Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) est la première norme de production durable certifiée mondialement reconnue pour le riz. Des efforts sont déployés pour accroître la durabilité de la production de riz, mais on sait peu de choses sur la perception des étiquettes de durabilité par les consommateurs. Cette étude examine la relation entre la connaissance du changement climatique et la volonté des consommateurs de payer pour du riz certifié SRP dans les supermarchés vietnamiens. Les résultats montrent que les consommateurs sont prêts à payer en moyenne une prime de 29 % pour le riz étiqueté SRP. Une connaissance accrue du changement climatique et des revenus plus élevés influencent positivement le montant que les consommateurs sont prêts à payer. Les résultats ont des implications politiques et commerciales pour la mise à l'échelle de la production et de la consommation de riz conformément aux normes de production durable certifiées au Vietnam. Rice production in Vietnam is characterized by environmental degradation, high greenhouse gas emissions, and low wage rates. The Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) standard is the first globally recognized certified sustainable production standard for rice. There are efforts to increase sustainability in rice production, but little is known about consumer perception of sustainability labels. This study investigates the relationship between climate change knowledge and consumer willingness to pay for SRP-certified rice in Vietnamese supermarkets. The results show that consumers are willing to pay on average a 29% price premium for SRP-labelled rice. Increased knowledge about climate change and higher income positively influence the amount consumers are willing to pay. The results have policy and market implications for scaling production and consumption of rice complying with certified sustainable production standards in Vietnam. يتميز إنتاج الأرز في فيتنام بالتدهور البيئي وارتفاع انبعاثات غازات الدفيئة وانخفاض معدلات الأجور. يعد معيار منصة الأرز المستدامة (SRP) أول معيار إنتاج مستدام معتمد عالميًا للأرز. هناك جهود لزيادة الاستدامة في إنتاج الأرز، ولكن لا يُعرف سوى القليل عن تصور المستهلك لعلامات الاستدامة. تبحث هذه الدراسة في العلاقة بين معرفة تغير المناخ واستعداد المستهلك لدفع ثمن الأرز المعتمد من SRP في محلات السوبر ماركت الفيتنامية. تظهر النتائج أن المستهلكين على استعداد لدفع في المتوسط علاوة سعرية بنسبة 29 ٪ للأرز الذي يحمل علامة SRP. تؤثر زيادة المعرفة بتغير المناخ وارتفاع الدخل بشكل إيجابي على المبلغ الذي يرغب المستهلكون في دفعه. للنتائج آثار سياسية وسوقية على توسيع نطاق إنتاج واستهلاك الأرز بما يتوافق مع معايير الإنتاج المستدام المعتمدة في فيتنام.

In this study, we developed user-friendly software (CF-Rice) for calculating the carbon footprints (CF) of rice products. The approach follows the principles of Life Cycle Assessment while incorporating more flexibility for activities specific to rice production. The graphical user interface provides empirical emission and conversion factors obtained from the literature and from primary research studies of rice value chains. CF-Rice also allows the entering of new values for specific processes or practices. Data outputs distinguish among the contributions of individual stages of the value chain as well as different greenhouse gases (GHG), namely, CH4, N2O and CO2. The new tool was then applied to a scenario assessment of rice production in the regional context of Southeast Asia. The CF baseline of a typical rice value chain in the region accounted for a value of around 2300 g CO2e/kgProd. The CF can be reduced by about 27.4% through water-saving practices alone and can further be reduced up to 37.3% through interventions that increase product recovery rates and, thus, reduce food losses. In contrast, straw incorporation into the soil increased the CF by 26.0%. The tool is well suited for impact assessments of advanced practices and technologies of rice value chains.

The agriculture sector contributes significantly to national greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. Rice is a major contributor to methane emissions in Asia and many countries have recognised the potential to reduce their emissions by including rice sector targets in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in the Paris Agreement. The NDC commitments are voluntary emission reduction efforts submitted by each country to curb global warming. This guide serves to bridge the gap in knowledge on developing and implementing action plans to achieve the ambitious targets to reduce emissions in rice. With a focus on Vietnam, this guide describes methods and tools for research organisations to support national governments to plan, finance, and implement mitigation actions in the rice sector.

This article provides a comprehensive institutional analysis to better understand the key conditions and incentives relevant for the uptake of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) – a climate-smart irrigation practice in Bangladesh. Practicing AWD in rice production can reduce water consumption by 30% and mitigate methane emissions by 30–70% without yield penalty. Primary research was conducted in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, and Sherpur Divisions. The analysis depicts the dynamic among the stakeholders involved in scaling AWD using the Net-Map tool, and demonstrates the influence of irrigation management systems in the selected catchment areas and the impacts of AWD in rice farming. Findings reveal that AWD-practicing farmers, pump owners, and the Upazila Irrigation Committee are the three most powerful influencers for scaling AWD. The pre-paid irrigation system significantly improves water efficiency and cost-effectiveness when practising AWD. Additionally, AWD leads to a lower frequency of pumping resulting in reduced costs compared to the continuous-flooding practice. Finally, the results guide the formulation of recommendations to create favourable conditions for AWD scaling, which contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing sustainable rice production in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is a low-lying deltaic nation with high vulnerability to climate-related hazards. Hatiya Island is located in Southern Bangladesh, and residents rely significantly on fishing and agriculture for their livelihoods. However, the island's primary production systems face a threat from intense and frequent sudden onset environmental hazards such as river erosion, cyclones, and flooding, as well as slow onset environmental hazards like saline intrusion, tidal inundation, and rising temperatures. Little is known about the effect sudden onset and slow onset hazards have on the migration patterns of Hatiya's residents. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between climatic events and the migration decisions of residents on Hatiya Island. To explore this link, we collected empirical data from 337 respondents on Hatiya Island using a choice experiment survey. The five attributes were used to construct migration scenarios, including climate events at Hatiya Island, the distance of migration, the migration type, the social network at the potential destination, and the difference in income between Hatiya Island and the potential destination. The findings from the mixed logit model indicated that climate events at Hatiya, migration distance, and income gap affected residents' migration decisions. Extreme slow onset change and extreme sudden onset change were less likely to induce migration compared to the moderate level of slow and sudden onset change. However, residents were more likely to migrate as the income difference between Hatiya and the prospective destination increased. Residents were willing to migrate at a 9.4 % increase in income for extreme sudden onset change, while residents required a 14.19 % increase in income to migrate in response to extreme slow onset change. As such, policies are needed to support migrants in receiving areas through improved social protection systems, to support migrant-sending households' transformative adaptation in origin areas, and to bolster community-driven adaptation initiatives in Hatiya. The findings from this study can contribute to the existing literature on the relationship between environmental hazards and mobility and inform policymakers on how to design policies that support vulnerable populations.

IntroductionStrategies for increasing rice production in the Asian Mega-Deltas have led to environmental degradation, resource overexploitation, and high greenhouse gas emissions. Certified sustainable production labels can support governments in their efforts to render rice value chains more sustainable by simultaneously fostering planetary and human health. Little is known, however, about how consumers trade off sustainability and health attributes in staple crops such as rice. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by investigating Vietnamese consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for rice characterized by multi-attribute sustainability and health certification labels.MethodsWe collected empirical data from 410 supermarket consumers in Can Tho, Vietnam using a choice experiment survey. The results were analyzed using a mixed logit model to determine consumers' preferences for sustainability and health traits in rice. Four price levels were used to elicit willingness-to-pay for four certification labels: low-emission, eco-friendly, ethically produced, and low glycemic index rice. By separating the components that make up the concept of sustainability and by including a label related to personal health and diet preferences, we are able to gain an understanding of the value consumers place on attributes that benefit the common good vs. attributes that benefit the individual consumer.ResultsThe results showed that consumers were willing to pay a price premium for all certification labels, with the highest marginal utility assigned to low glycemic index rice.DiscussionCertification of eco-friendly and ethical production generated similar utility levels, while low-emission rice was valued lower, although it still fetched a significant price premium compared to the status-quo option of rice with no certifications. The results of this study can help policymakers and value chain actors develop rice value chains that integrate sustainable production practices as well as foster the nutrition and health of rice consumers.

Abstract More than one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, forestry, and land-use change. As with other sectors of the economy, agriculture should also contribute to meeting countries’ emission reduction targets. Transformation of agriculture to low-carbon food systems requires much larger investments in low emission development options from global climate finance, domestic budgets, and the private sector. Innovative financing mechanisms and instruments that integrate climate finance, agriculture development budgets, and private sector investment can improve and increase farmers’ and other value chain actors’ access to finance while delivering environmental, economic, and social benefits. Investment cases assessed in this study provide rich information to design and implement mitigation options in agriculture through unlocking additional sources of public and private capital, strengthening the links between financial institutions, farmers, and agribusiness, and coordination of actions across multiple stakeholders. These investment cases expand support for existing agricultural best practices, integrate forestry and agricultural actions to avoid land-use change, and support the transition to market-based solutions.

The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015 at the 21st session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is the first legally binding document for all Parties to address climate change (UNFCCC, 2015). This is reflected in the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of Parties. Although previous agreements on climate change had been reached, the Paris Agreement marked a new era where all countries will have the same transparency requirements for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting from 2020 onwards. These universal requirements provide increased accountability on the steps countries are taking towards implementing the emission reduction goals set forth in their NDCs.