10 November2023, Philippines: The REMET-Rice Project is a research collaboration between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the global company Shell. Housed under IRRI’s Climate Change Mitigation Research Unit of the Sustainable Impact through the Rice-based Systems Department, REMET-Rice is dedicated to comprehensively advancing our understanding of methanogenesis processes in rice systems. The primary objective of this endeavor is to effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and facilitate the translation of these into practical and scalable solutions tailored to the needs of farmers. The project was officially launched during the 6th International Rice Congress (IRC 2023).
Team members, partners, and collaborators of the project came together during the 6th International Rice Congress (IRC 2023). They actively engaged in a diverse range of sessions where they showcased their expertise in various fields. These sessions included panel discussions, oral and poster presentations, and featured exhibitions. These were distinctly focused on the production and scalability of tools and technology, all while addressing the vital subject of climate change mitigation within the realm of rice-based systems.
Notable presentations and panel discussions included:
REMET-Rice Team – IRRI
Plenary Panel Discussion: Scaling Direct Seeded Rice, a regenerative rice crop system – Together. Today – Bas Bouman
Panelist: State of the Science Behind Scalable MRV Technology for Supporting Climate Finance for Low Carbon Rice at Scale – Ando Radanielson
Presentation: Crop Resource Management – Bjoern Ole Sander
Climate Risk, Adaptation Plans, And Approaches Presentation: Modeling The Co-Benefits And Trade-Offs Of Rice Production Interventions For Mitigation And Adaptation To Climate Change – Tao Li
Rice Crop Physiology Presentation: Integrated Root Phenotypes Under Seedling Stage Drought In Direct-Seeded Rice – Amelia Henry
Distributions, Genetic Diversity, and Global Assessment Presentation: The Evolution And Dispersal Of Bacterial Blight Pathogen In Asia – Van Schepler-Luu
Nature-Based Farming Practices Presentation: Varietal Effects On Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Rice Production Systems Under Different Water Management In The Vietnamese Mekong Delta – Thi Bach Thuong Vo
Rice Ratooning And Perennial Rice Presentation: Ratoon Rice Research: Review And Prospect For The Tropics – Kazuki Saito
Integrated Crop Management System Presentation: Carbon Footprint Of Intensive Rice-Based Cropping Systems – Joseph Sandro
Remote Sensing Presentation: The State Of The Art Of Digital-Twin Technology For Sustainable Rice Production In Asian Delta – Hironori Arai
Coping with Salinity in Asian Mega Deltas
Moderator – Bjoern Ole Sander
Panel Discussion – Nguyen Van Hung
Seeding Success: Mastering Direct Seeded Rice Presentation and Brainstorming
The DSR Landscape: Drivers of Shift, Advantages, and Key Issues – Virender Kumar
Biotic Stresses and their Management Under Direct Seeded Rice – Van Schepler-Luu
Abiotic Stresses and their Management Under Direct Seeded Rice – Amelia Henry
Carbon Credits and DSR: What is on the Horizon – Ando Radanielson
REMET-Rice Collaborators
IHRS Plenary Speakers: Ushering An Era Of Low-Carbon Footprint Rice Hybrids
Speaker – Arlene Adviento-Borbe
Speaker – Jauhar Ali
Mitigating GHG Emissions Presentation: Achieving Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions In A Non-Flooded Rice System By Using Hybrid Cultivars And Uas Fertilization – Arlene Adviento-Borbe
Soil, Water, And Nutrient Presentation: Managing Nutrients In Future Rice Farming – Achim Dobermann
Direct Seeded Rice Presentation: Impact Of Mechanized Seeding And Variety On Yield Of Dry Direct Seeded Rice Under Rainfed Areas In The Philippines – Crisanta Bueno
Better Approaches To Water Management To Reduce Climate Risks Presentation: Multi-Dimensional Impacts Of The Alternate Wetting And Drying Water Management At Different Spatial Scales In A Reservoir-Backed National Irrigation System In The Philippines – Rubenito Lampayan
Breeding And Dissemination Presentation: Impact Of The Genetic Gain Achieved For Rice Breeding In Latin America And The Caribbean – Maria Fernanda Alvarez
New Technology Applications Presentation: Developing Heterotic Groups For Hybrid Rice Development In Latin America And The Caribbean – Maria Fernanda Alvarez
Seeding Success: Mastering Direct Seeded Rice Presentation on Regional Perspective: Americas – Maria Fernanda Alvarez
Exhibitor: Methane Insight – A bio-based solution for the mitigation of methane emissions and techniques to monitor methane emissions at scale – Vincent Scholz
The REMET-Rice team diligently ensured their participation in all relevant sessions throughout the conference. This was achieved by coordinating their presence at concurrent sessions, allowing each team member to engage in sessions aligned with their specific areas of expertise. In doing so, they collectively enriched the group by sharing invaluable insights that have the potential to significantly enhance the upcoming research experiments to be conducted within the project.
Furthermore, a subsequent side event, aimed at providing a comprehensive follow-up to the project’s inception workshop held last 10-12 July 2023, was organized with the project partners during IRC 2023. This follow-up session took place on October 17th at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila. A total of 33 participants attended, joining the project team for a concise report on the outcomes of the inception workshop and how the project is actively implementing the recommendations derived from it.
The collaboration between IRRI and Shell within the REMET-Rice project represents a significant step towards sustainable practices in rice-based systems. The active participation of the REMET-Rice team, partners, and collaborators at IRC 2023 highlights their commitment to advancing methanogenesis research and greenhouse gas emission mitigation. The goal of REMET-Rice is to contribute to a more sustainable agricultural future.
