Carbon footprint of rice (Oryza Sativa L.) from production to post production in Laguna, the Philippines
2015
Taghavi, S.M.
This study was conducted from May 2014 to April 2015 in cooperation with the Green Super Rice (GSR) Project of IRRI [International Rice Research Institute] in seventy seven (77) farms growing GSR and NON GSR rice in seven villages in Laguna [Philippines]. The net carbon footprint from un-milled rice in the dry and wet seasons from production-to-production in hectare and ton basis was estimated at 15192.07 kg CO sub 2/ha or 2462.44 kg CO sub 2/ton (2.46 kg CO sub 2 per kilogram rice. Carbon footprint at producing was 12298.27 kg CO sub 2/ha (81 % of total) and at post-production 2893.8 kg CO sub 2/ha (19% of total). Contributing to this total were soil emissions at 70.4 %, cropping 8.42%, (N fertilizer 4.73%), cooking (12.05 %), transportation 5.36% and burning of straw 3.13%. The social cost of carbon (SCC) per hectare was estimated at Php 15055. The average SCC per ton of rice was estimated at Php 2438 (Php 2.44/kg). The SCC values were Php 2130 for GSR8, Php 2408 for GSR2, Php 2477 for SL9 and SL7, and Php 2884 for RC11, RC18 and RC216. Increasing the yield per unit are decreased the carbon footprint per ton. The carbon footprint of GSR8 and GSR2 were 35.6% and 20% respectively, lower than other varieties. Measures to decrease the rice carbon footprints include as : a) Doing mid-season drainage could decrease CH4 emissions up to 48%; b) Removing rice straws from rice fields could decrease the organic matter for anaerobic decomposition in the soil; c) Distributing methane oxidation bacteria into the field to reduce CH sub 4 and O sub 2 to CO sub 2 in both catabolic and anabolic pathways, and d) Incorporating nitrogen fixing legumes (Sesbania punicea and azolla anabaena) could decrease chemical N fertilizer application.
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