Climate-smart rice shows impact, scope for scaling up: Experts
They attributed the slow uptake mainly to the country’s traditional irrigation water pricing system, uneven land topography, and significant gaps in farmers’ knowledge and awareness
Despite its proven ability to save water, reduce methane emissions and boost yields, the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method has failed to gain widespread adoption among rice farmers in Bangladesh even after nearly two decades, experts said at a roundtable.
They attributed the slow uptake mainly to the country's traditional irrigation water pricing system, uneven land topography, and significant gaps in farmers' knowledge and awareness.
Titled Beyond the Field: Forging a Shared Responsibility Model for Scaling Climate-Smart Rice Production in Bangladesh, the roundtable was jointly organized by the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation (SAF), the 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 WRG), World Bank and The Business Standard at the national daily's conference room in Dhaka on 29 January.
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Keynote presentation on the Introducing Water Efficient Technologies (IWET) project—a multi-partner initiative supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation, coordinated by 2030WRG, and implemented by SAF Bangladesh—has demonstrated transformative results through its community-driven implementation of AWD.
Spanning the Barind Tract areas of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, and Naogaon between 2018 and 2025, the project successfully scaled sustainable irrigation to nearly 1,885 hectares in the 2024-25 fiscal year alone.
The environmental and economic impacts have been substantial: the adoption of AWD led to water savings of up to 26% and a 34–48% reduction in methane emissions, while simultaneously boosting rice yields by up to 6% and increasing farmer incomes by as much as 13%.
Md Farhad Zamil
Executive Director, SAF Bangladesh
Rice is the backbone of Bangladesh's food security, yet traditional cultivation practices are depleting water resources and increasing climate risks. Although climate-smart solutions like AWD in rice are well established, weak incentives and policy gaps continue to discourage adoption.
Carbon credit mechanisms can bridge this gap by providing financial motivation while reducing emissions. Bangladesh must integrate Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) standards and carbon frameworks into national policies and strengthen certification and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) capacity. Through coordinated public-private action, Bangladeshi rice can become a sustainable and competitive product in the global market.
Roksana Akter
Deputy Secretary, Policy 2 Branch, Ministry of Agriculture
AWD in rice cultivation can reduce methane emissions by 48%, and if scaled to 4.8 million hectares, it could generate over 6 million carbon credits, worth $125 million. Currently, adoption is limited due to low awareness, weak incentives, and lack of carbon quantification technology. The Ministry is developing the Agricultural Carbon Credit Framework of Bangladesh to provide regulation, monitoring, and promote private sector and partner engagement. Expanding training for farmers, pump operators, and stakeholders is key to motivating adoption.
Dr Faruk Ahmed
Additional Director (Project Planning) (In-charge), Department of Agricultural Extension
Bangladesh is committed under its NDC to scale up AWD on at least 30% of rice fields, as it reduces water use and methane emissions. Pilot projects by BADC, DAE, BRRI, and other development partners have shown positive results, but scaling faces challenges like uneven land levelling, unreliable electricity, and limited coordination among pump owners, farmers, and institutions. To overcome this, we need clear incentive mechanisms for farmers adopting AWD and active engagement of government, private sector, and development partners.
Syeda Afzalun Nessa
Head of Sustainability, HSBC Bangladesh
Since 2021, HSBC has been supporting climate-smart agriculture as part of its philanthropic initiatives, with a strong focus on both climate mitigation and adaptation. Through our projects, we support rice farmers, recognising that rice is a staple food and a critical source of livelihood across the country. Rice production is also a significant source of agricultural greenhouse-gas emissions; however, targeted and well-designed interventions can substantially reduce these emissions. Through strategic partnerships with organisations such as IRRI and SAF Bangladesh, HSBC is advancing water-efficient practices, responsible mechanisation, and farmer capacity-building. This includes promoting AWD technology. We actively encourage cross-sector collaboration to ensure these solutions are scalable and deliver long-term, sustainable impact.
Thanh Son Vo
Senior Agriculture Specialist, The World Bank
The scaling of AWD and low-carbon rice production can be accelerated by internalizing international best practices to position Bangladesh as a leader in sustainable agriculture. Aligning with global success stories requires Bangladesh to establish a robust national policy framework supported by rigorous MRV standards to ensure climate integrity. Given that rice cultivation accounts for the vast majority of the country's freshwater consumption, prioritizing public investment in reliable water infrastructure and modernized irrigation services is critical. Furthermore, to drive widespread farmer adoption, Bangladesh must foster a market-driven ecosystem where climate-smart techniques are directly tied to financial incentives and increased profitability, ensuring that sustainable practices become a cornerstone of the national agricultural economy.
Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed
DMD, Environment and Climate Change, PKSF
If we cannot scale AWD, we cannot enter the carbon credit market, but the real issue is farmer adoption, not carbon credits alone. Farmers will adopt the technology only if it is profitable, user-friendly, and does not risk yield loss. Despite 20-25 years of pilots, awareness, trust, and technical gaps – especially on irrigation timing – remain major barriers. MRV for methane emissions is highly complex due to limited technical and institutional capacity. A proven, bankable business model combining higher productivity, lower water and energy use, and carbon benefits is essential for scaling.
Dr Md Mozammel Haque
Senior Scientific Officer, Soil Science Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute
Water-efficient rice cultivation can reduce irrigation by 25-30% and increase yield by 3-5%, saving 2-4 tonnes of CO₂ per hectare. In Bangladesh, the main barrier is the lack of government policy and a clear carbon credit framework, which prevents farmers from selling carbon internationally. A coordinated approach involving the agriculture and environment ministries, and BRRI, along with proper MRV systems, is essential. Accurate measurement, reporting, and verification of methane emission factors are crucial to link climate-smart practices to carbon markets.
AKM Apel Mahmud
Executive Engineer and DPD Partner Program, BADC
Scaling water-efficient rice practices require integrating both public and private irrigation systems, including private pump owners. The main challenges are uneven land topography, knowledge gaps, and perceived risks among farmers. This technology fundamentally changes farmer behaviour, teaching them when and how much to irrigate based on soil type and root depth. Effective adoption demands a comprehensive, scheme-based approach, reaching all farmers in an area. Training must emphasize the major benefits – water saving, methane reduction, and yield increase – with priority on financial incentives to motivate farmers.
Dewan Md Tanbir
Proprietor and Member, Bangladesh Auto Rice Mill Association
Efficient water use in rice mills is critical, especially in regions like northern Bangladesh, where water scarcity affects both farming and milling. Proper technology, including water recycling and optimised steaming processes, can significantly reduce water and energy consumption. Implementation depends on practical support and incentives, as many mills currently lack guidance or financial backing for these systems. Collaboration between farmers, millers, and support agencies is key to scaling these sustainable practices effectively.
Md. Sohel Rana
Associate Water Resources Officer, Bangladesh Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank
Building on pilot data showing that AWD can cut carbon emissions by roughly two tons per hectare, the ADB is preparing a project with expanded initiative in the Barind region to scale sustainable farming and solar-based irrigation. This strategic project focuses on preserving groundwater by prioritizing surface water utilization, canal excavation, and the deployment of solar-powered pumping systems. To further enhance efficiency, the solar energy will utilize net metering, allowing farmers to feed surplus electricity back into the national grid. This effort aligns with ADB's broader commitment to invest $26 billion by 2030 in Asia and Pacific region as innovative and high-impact climate solutions.
Abu Sayed Md Kamruzzaman
Executive Director (Additional Secretary), Barind Multipurpose Development Authority
The current training-based approach reaches only a small share of farmers, leaving nearly 80%–90% unaware of modern practices. With 74 percent (approximately) of irrigation managed by private pumps, stronger coordination among stakeholders is critical. In the Barind Tract, groundwater over-extraction must be reduced, water recharge expanded, and AWD practices prioritized—supported by policy measures where needed to ensure sustainable, climate-smart rice production.
Mohammad Mizanur Rahman
Director, R&D and Operations of ACI Seed, ACI PLC
AWD is a well-established and widely practiced technology across the world. ACI's approach focuses on making farmers profitable, which can be achieved by increasing yield and reducing production costs. AWD has the potential to do both – boost yields while lowering costs. However, despite its proven benefits, AWD has not yet gained widespread popularity. The main reason is the lack of clear communication on cost savings. Farmers need concrete, per-hectare figures showing how much money they can save by adopting the technology. Without trust in the message, farmers will not accept new technologies. In practice, farmers are saving water, not cost—because profit, not awareness, ultimately drives adoption.
Momshad Ali Khan
Country Head (Director), Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Bangladesh, Coca-Cola Bangladesh Ltd.
At Coca-Cola, we support the communities where we operate, implementing projects that create measurable and lasting impact. We focus on water, waste, and WASH, and will continue to prioritise these areas. We look forward to continuing this work together and building further positive impact.
Takashi Yamano, PhD
Principal Economist, Asian Development Bank, Philippines
Farmer adoption of AWD remains low mainly due to barriers in directly linking carbon benefits to farmers. However, solutions are emerging through international carbon mechanisms like Japan's JCM. If approved, these mechanisms could unlock incentives, attract investment, and boost farmer participation.
Kamruzzaman Tito
Deputy General Manager and Head of Contract Farming, PRAN
We are cultivating rice and fish in Bhasan Char, and also rearing sheep and buffaloes, under the government's Rohingya project. Out of Bhasan Char's total 17,000 acres, a large portion had remained fallow. A positive development is that we have successfully cultivated rice there this season. The AWD technology needs to be expanded further, as we want to reduce farmers' production costs while increasing yields. If that is achieved, we can easily disseminate such technologies among farmers.
Syeda Sitwat Shahed
Agriculture Water Workstream Lead, 2030 Water Resources Group, World Bank
A lot of work has been catalysed, but expanding climate-smart rice requires capacity building, shared responsibility, and a coordinated irrigation mechanism. Implementing a standard MRV system and linking initiatives with financing and market integration is crucial. Strong government support is needed, alongside active roles from communities, private sector, agribusinesses, and academic institutions. A sustainable funding and contribution pathway is necessary to drive future progress.
Md Abdur Rouf
Director, Program Development, SAF Bangladesh, moderator
The discussion clearly showed that low farmer adoption is less about technology gaps and more about awareness, coordination, and incentives. Participants emphasized the need for stronger pre-season alignment among stakeholders, better linkage with MRV and NDC frameworks, and gradual movement toward standards such as SRP certification. Most importantly, the focus remained on farmer-friendly, habit-based practices like AWD rather than complex scientific models. Together, these actions can significantly accelerate sustainable rice production while protecting both livelihoods and the environment.
