Introducing the Potential for Carbon Credit Generation from 10 Million Hectares of Rice Paddies in Thailand
Green Carbon, Inc. (CEO: Jun Okita, hereinafter referred to as Green Carbon) is pleased to announce that it has participated in the “Workshop on Climate Smart Agriculture for Alternative Wetting and Drying of Rice Cultivation in Thailand,” hosted by the Royal Irrigation Department (hereinafter referred to as RID) in Bangkok on September 16, 2024. During the workshop, Green Carbon focused on introducing the creation of carbon credits utilizing Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD※1) in rice cultivation, as well as the decarbonization potential of rice paddies in Thailand.
◆Overview of the Workshop
Organizer : Royal Irrigation Department (RID)
Date : September 16, 2024
Location : RID Headquarters/Rama Garden Hotel
Language : Thai – Japanese
Agenda ：
9:00 – 9:15 Opening Remarks
9:15 – 10:00 Outline of Climate Change Mitigation focusing on Rice Cultivation (Japanese side)
10:15 – 11:00 Outline of RID related project(Thail side)
11:00 – 11:45 Outline of T-Ver methodology of AWD (Thai side)
13:00 – 13:45 Key points of land preparation required for the implementation of AWD (Japanese side)
13:45 – 14:30 Smart Irrigation Management for Rice cultivation in Japan (Japanese side)
14:45 – 15:30 Outline of methodology of AWD in JCM (Japanese side)
15:30 – 16:15 Carbon Trade and Exchange by Private Sector (Japanese side)
◆Background of Green Carbon’s Participation
Green Carbon is actively engaged in generating nature-based carbon credits primarily in Southeast Asia, undertaking a wide range of projects including forest conservation, paddy fields, mangrove reforestation, reduction of methane emissions from cattle, and biochar initiatives. Among these, we focus on methane reduction projects in paddy fields using the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method, particularly in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Green Carbon was invited to this event due to its recognized expertise and achievements in creating carbon credits through AWD abroad. Thailand has significant potential for large-scale carbon credit generation, with approximately 10 million hectares of rice paddy area. During the event, we discussed market trends for carbon credits in Thailand and the potential of rice paddies, while deepening our collaboration with the Royal Irrigation Department (RID). Moving forward, we will further promote our business activities in Thailand and contribute to the country’s decarbonization efforts through the creation of carbon credits.
※1：AWD（Alternate Wetting & Drying）
AWD is a technique that involves periodically flooding and naturally drying paddy fields based on the water level. Compared to continuous flooding, AWD can reduce water usage and contribute to the conservation of water resources.
◆Introduction of Green Carbon
Green Carbon operates with the vision of “Saving the Earth with the Power of Life,” providing comprehensive support from carbon credit creation, registration, to sales. Additionally, we are involved in agriculture-related businesses, research and development, ESG consulting, among others. Our main focus is on generation carbon credits through methane gas reduction in rice paddies, where we have obtained certification for J-Credits, the first and largest in Japan (approximately 6,220 tons), and plan to expand to around 50,000 hectares in the fiscal year 2024. We also offer a service called “Agreen” that integrates credit registration, application, and sales into one platform, simplifying procedures such as application registration and document preparation, thus reducing the workload for credit creators.
〇Introduction of Royal Irrigation Department (RID)
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) was established in 1902 as a government agency responsible for the management of Thailand’s water resources and the design and operation of irrigation systems. Its primary goals are to enhance agricultural productivity and implement flood control measures by efficiently managing water resources nationwide. By collaborating with local farmers, RID contributes to the development of Thai agriculture through the improvement of irrigation techniques and the effective allocation of water resources.