Story: Chotika Thamsuwan and Patcharin Sae-heng, Agriculture and Food Cluster
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) join hands with Rice Department and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) launched a knowledge management and learning materials to develop skills necessary for fulfilling the so-called “Measurable, Reportable and Verifiable” system framework (MRV).
Comprising handbook, printing products and a series of training videos, the MRV knowledge management package serves as a tool for transferring know-how and process, particularly on the topics about measuring and calculating greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the rice sector. The target groups include rice researchers, agricultural extension officers, local farmers as well as general people who have interest on the topics.
An important objective is to translate complex technical knowledge into a user-friendly form of knowledge which address obstacles and demands of the users. The content of these learning materials covers all the processes in the MRV system, which reflect the intention to enhance transparency and credibility in reporting GHG emission reductions.
The MRV system provides a framework to monitor (M), report (R ) and verify (V) activities to reduce GHG emissions. Thai rice sector is striving to implement the MRV system to actively measure its climate change responses. Undeniably, such a challenging goal depends highly on technical knowledge and know-how transfer. Interdisciplinary collaboration between environmental science, agronomy and agricultural extension and promotion is also crucial for knowledge management.
Information about how to conduct a GHG emission measurement in rice paddy fields, collect gas samples from the experimental plots, and analyse the samples by using gas chromatography (GC) with the focus on Methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) in the end can be found in the newly-printed leaflet available via this link.
A series of training video includes two training modules on GHG emission evaluation facilitated by experts from IRRI and GIZ as follow:
A training module on GHG emission evaluation from farmer survey data, conducted by Dr. Laddawan Kunnoot, an international consultant from IRRI.
A training module on GHG emission evaluation from the direct GHG emission measurement data, obtained from gas chromatography (GC) analysis and experimental rice paddy field. This module was instructed by GIZ expert Dr. Thomas Jäkel, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi researcher at Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment Dr. Nittaya Cha-un. Training videos can be found in this link.
and Environment Dr. Nittaya Cha-un.
“The video training modules enable Thai rice researchers to enhance their knowledge and understanding of GHG emission measurement in rice fields. Many activities have been conducting in the field and laboratory. The whole process is complex and highly technical. This effort of Thai German Climate Programme (TGCP)-Agriculture project will increase the transparency and accountability of GHG emission data,” said Dr. Laddawan Kunnoot, IRRI consultant.
Since 2018, TGCP–Agriculture has been supporting the transfer of knowledge and skills necessary for conducting measurement and analysis of GHG emission, ranging from designing experimental plots for direct GHG measurement, which apply various rice farming mitigation techniques, to the final step of experimental process, including data analysis and writing experimental reports.
The project aims to enhance Thai rice researchers’ potentials in producing high-quality research work and in handling high-technical data on GHG emission from rice cultivation. This capacity building process helps increase quality of climate data while benefiting climate response in both domestic and international levels.
The MRV system framework also encourages collaboration and knowledge exchange from various sectors, involving environmental scientists from leading universities, policy makers from governmental agencies, rice researchers, agricultural extension officers and local farmers in six provinces in the central plain – Chai Nat, Ang Thong, Pathum Thani, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya and Sing Buri) and Ubonratchathani in the Northeast.
Success of this knowledge transfer process will support the rice MRV system. Apart from increasing creditability of research performance on GHG emission topic, the outcomes from the project embedded the evidence-based process which is important in responding to the global warming problems as well as raised awareness of all relevant stakeholders on an important role of the agriculture sector in mitigating GHG emission.
Related Resources
