Rice Farming– tag –

Methane from rice paddies accounts for approximately 40 percent of Japan’s methane emissions. Extending midseason drainage can reduce emissions by around 30 percent, but crop yields, biodiversity, food safety, and farmers’ workloads must also be considered.

Japan’s irrigation ponds have supported rice farming, wildlife, and rural communities for centuries. Today, aging infrastructure, fewer managers, and heavier rainfall are turning these familiar waterscapes into growing disaster risks.

Plastic-coated fertilizers help Japanese farmers reduce labor and use nutrients efficiently. But after the fertilizer dissolves, tiny plastic shells can escape from rice fields, travel through rivers, and eventually reach the sea.