• Energy Research

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.

The dataset was generated from a choice experiment to explore consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay for rice sustainability and health certification labels.

AbstractRice production significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), especially methane (CH4) emissions at various cropping stages. A major source of methane emissions is the decomposition of fertilizers and organic residues in flooded fields during the irrigation cycle. CORIGAP technologies and practices are mainly associated with closing yield gaps by increasing productivity and profitability but have been co-designed to address climatic challenges and to minimize negative environmental impacts. Therefore, over the last decade, the CORIGAP interventions not only helped to reduce yield gaps substantially but also resulted in a significant reduction of the carbon footprint (CF) in rice production. This chapter starts with an in-depth synthesis of scientific-based evidence and knowledge on challenges and constraints to reducing rice CF in CORIGAP countries. The chapter introduces solutions that have been proven to reduce GHGE, in particular, Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), rice-straw management, mechanization, and postharvest management. The latter two approaches include laser land leveling, mechanized direct seeding and transplanting, and paddy grain drying will be described in more detail. In addition, life cycle assessments will outline the quantification of the carbon footprint in rice production, for these specific technologies. The chapter presents three country case studies (Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam) from data collected through CORIGAP activities to estimate GHGE reductions associated with implementation of best practices for lowland irrigated rice production. Lastly, this chapter provides the outcomes related to GHGE reduction and offers specific recommendations that can be easily implemented in other countries.

Vietnam is supportive of the transition to sustainable rice production in the Mekong Delta. The national program promoted best management practices for rice production through “1 Must Do and 5 Reductions” (1M5R). This review traces the technological development and uptake of 1M5R in national policies and by end-users. We highlight the outcomes from various policy-supported initiatives and unpack plausible pathways that generated the widespread adoption of 1M5R in eight provinces in the Mekong River Delta: at least 104,448 smallholder rice farmers were reached, and 1M5R practices adopted on 113,870 hectares. The scaling of 1M5R was enabled through a convergence of different socio-technical systems with varied foci, including sustainability certification, contract farming, consolidation of production, and improved use of inputs, aside from the development of sustainable technologies. In addition, 1M5R was promoted with incentives generated by a World Bank project and other initiatives in line with a national policy of increasing the quality of rice production for national and international markets. The interconnections of varied socio-technical systems, enacted by different intermediaries, catalyzed the spread of 1M5R. The widespread adoption by smallholder farmers increased their profits and raised awareness across diverse stakeholder groups of the higher marketability of rice produced with sustainable practices.

Climate change will continue to have a largely detrimental impact on the agricultural sector worldwide because of predicted rising temperatures, variable rainfall, and an increase in extreme weather events. Reduced crop yields will lead to higher food prices and increased hardship for low income populations, especially in urban areas. Action on climate change is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 13) and is linked to the Paris Climate Agreement. The research challenge posed by climate change is so complex that a trans-disciplinary response is required, one that brings together researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers in networks where the lines between “research” and “development” become deliberately blurred. Fostering such networks will require researchers, throughout the world, not only to work across disciplines but also to pursue new South–North and South–South partnerships incorporating policy-makers and practitioners. We use our diverse research experiences to describe the emergence of such networks, such as the Direct Seeded Rice Consortium (DSRC) in South and Southeast Asia, and to identify lessons on how to facilitate and strengthen the development of trans-disciplinary responses to climate change.

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.

AbstractIn this chapter, we propose a framework of market-based incentive mechanisms for the adoption and scaling of sustainable production standards throughout rice value chains and review evidence of two mechanisms that have been piloted in Vietnam: “internalizing” and “embodying.” The evidence suggests that sustainable production standards can be successfully “internalized” in rice value chains through policies (public governance) that provide an enabling environment for vertical coordination and private governance of standards (e.g., through contract farming). However, the major challenge policymakers and value chain actors face for this mechanism to succeed is to reconcile differences in contract preferences between contracting parties and solve trust and coordination issues (e.g., contract breach and side-selling). Market evidence suggests that sustainable production standards can be successfully “embodied” in rice products through certification and labeling. Vietnamese consumers were found to put significant price premiums on sustainable production certification and even more so if supplemental information is provided on certification and traceability. Both examples highlight the role policymakers can play in the adoption and scaling of sustainable production standards throughout rice value chains by creating an enabling environment for vertical coordination and private sector investment in certification and information campaigns. We conclude by discussing how policymakers can overcome the challenges for these mechanisms to succeed and identifying areas for future research. Furthermore, we provide a detailed description of the monitoring and evaluation process of CORIGAP activities. We explain the development from paper-based to computer-assisted survey tools, the evaluation of changes that farmers perceive and provide a case study on impact evaluation using econometric analysis. It becomes clear that a multidimensional project like CORIGAP needs a variety of means to assess the changes on different levels. We found that farmers in all CORIGAP countries perceive positive changes. Their yields and profits have increased, and the project has exceeded its target reach in all countries. This was also due to other funding schemes that supported CORIGAP technologies and practices, such as the rollout of 1M5R in Vietnam and the 3CT in China. The project used a variety of dissemination strategies to communicate the outputs and outcomes to a plethora of different stakeholders. Among the most successful were social media campaigns, including informative videos about CORIGAP technologies and practices. The chapter closes with some anecdotal evidence of how, especially postharvest technologies, influenced policies in the CORIGAP countries. We provide lessons learned from the project to be taken care of in future projects that aim to introduce sustainable agricultural practices and technologies to improve natural resource management.

Food system sustainability has been highlighted as one of the major strategies to ensure healthy diets. A plethora of approaches to stabilize food systems have been suggested, including agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, and other forms of sustainable agriculture. However, a disconnect between sustainable production and consumption exists, which may hinder further progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2. This discourse was needed to connect these intersectional perspectives. To meet this need, we bring together the disconnected socio-environmental pillars and show how together they contribute to the food system sustainability agenda. We discuss the complexity of food system sustainability to cater to different geographies, building on evidence from development projects worldwide. We account for factors such as the need to incorporate intersectionality factors, food-system-related policy issues, food waste, food injustice, and undernutrition. While these intersectional inequalities can be solved through various human interventions, policy implementation, and dietary choices, we found that connecting the different policymakers remains a significant challenge for a sustainable food system. We propose implementing specific food system sustainability strategies that will be useful for policymakers and other stakeholders to enable the inclusion of a socio-environmental perspective for food systems that connect agricultural production with consumption.