How could UPL's low-methane rice cultivation pilot affect India?
Low-methane rice cultivation may change India's farming operations The pilot program demonstrated that shifting from traditional flooded rice paddies to Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) can significantly improve agricultural metrics. The pilot, which involved 6,000 farmers across nearly 10,400 hectares, showed that GHG emissions declined by around 23 per cent, while water-use efficiency improved by 40 per cent. Furthermore, yields increased by 5 per cent and farmer profitability rose by 5 per cent. If this low-methane system is adopted widely in India, it could lead to reduced operational expenses for farmers, improved resource management, and a lower environmental footprint for the country's massive rice production sector.
- Effect
- Mild positive
- How direct
- Brind's reasoning
- When
- Within months
- The story
- Gone quiet
How it reaches India
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UPL began a pilot program on October 17, 2026, to cultivate rice that produces less methane. Rice cultivation accounts for 10 per cent of global methane emissions and 48 per cent of cropland emissions globally every year. This low-methane system aims to enable higher productivity while significantly lowering emissions.
The full event1independent outlet -
Since India is a major rice producer and the pilot demonstrated increased farmer profitability and reduced expenses through AWD, the widespread adoption of this technique could fundamentally change the operational costs and environmental compliance requirements for rice producers in India.
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The facts so far
As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.
- Rice cultivation accounts for 10 per cent of global methane emissions.thehindubusinessline.com
- The pilot involved 6,000 farmers across nearly 10,400 hectares.thehindubusinessline.com
- Greenhouse gas emissions declined by around 23 per cent in the pilot.thehindubusinessline.com
- Water-use efficiency improved by 40 per cent.thehindubusinessline.com
- Yields increased by 5 per cent and farmer profitability rose by 5 per cent.thehindubusinessline.com
Why it matters
Rice is central to global food security, feeding more than half of the world’s population, but its production is highly climate-intensive. Rice paddies account for roughly 48 per cent of cropland emissions globally every year, with methane—which has a global warming potential 27 times higher than carbon dioxide—being the primary emission source.
India, as a major global producer, faces the dual pressure of increasing demand for rice and the need to reduce agriculture's climate footprint. The success of low-methane cultivation techniques, demonstrated by farmers in India, offers a pathway to meet these demands while simultaneously improving resource efficiency and farmer incomes.
What we don't know yet
- What level of government support is required to scale AWD across India's vast rice-growing regions?
- How quickly can the low-methane cultivation method be integrated into existing agricultural supply chains?
What would change this answer
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Reporting
- thehindubusinessline.comOct 17
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