Water Management– 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.