By: Joyce Gyekye
The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP is leading a sustainable rice cultivation in Ghana. Under the project, eleven thousand farmers will be trained on efficient use of water to reduce the emission of methane; a potent greenhouse gas that contribute to global warming.
The methane project is expected to cover 20 thousand hectares of rice by 2030.
The project is the first under the Ghana-Switzerland Article six Co-operative approach. The Article under the Paris Agreement allows a country to transfer carbon credits earned form reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to help one or more parties meet their own climate target.
The Focal Person of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC, in Ghana, Dr. Daniel Benefor in an interview with GBC stated that the production of methane is very much at the core of human activities.
He said its global warming potential is about 23 times that of carbon dioxide making methane very potent. He explained that ‘If you put one tons of methane into the atmosphere, it has the potential to contribute to cause climate change 23 times compared to carbon dioxide.”
He mentioned three major sources of methane in the country which includes, agriculture: livestock, rice production, waste management, and oil and gas.
When asked why the focus on rice production as against other areas, Dr. Benefor stated that rice production has not been prioritized but the UNDP has started the methane reduction with rice cultivation. He noted that, the programme is seeking to promote efficient use of water in rice production.
“The whole idea is to promote what we call the Alternate wetting and drying in rice cultivation’ adding that “It allows water in an irrigated rice field to remain on the rice farm only when the rice needs water. The water is therefore drained out if the rice does not need it” Dr Benefor added.
The UNFCCC Focal person explained that retained water under the rice field causes fermentation of biological materials and the lack of oxygen beneath the water then produces methane. He mentioned Shai Hills and the Volta region as areas that the project has already started adding that “we are now working in the Upper East and Upper West region’’.
Dr Benefor said the UNDP has developed some training manuals and organized some trainings for the rice farmers who are already on board.
On how the measurement of water was going to be done, he said “That will be done with a simple equipment using a PVC pipe that has been perforated and with some markings around them that will allow the rice farmer to measure the levels of the water”.
He added that when there is water in the PVC pipe, it means there is no need for a farmer to inundate the rice farm but when the pipe is empty, then the farmer has to allow water on the farm.
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