Solutions sought to manage rice straw towards circular and low emission agriculture

According to the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, out of a total of about 47 million tonnes of rice straw generated each year across the country, only about 20% is currently collected and used for the purposes of making straw mushrooms, animal feed, and cushions for fruits transportation.

Particularly in the Mekong Delta, annual rice production is about 24 million tonnes, and at the same time produces about 26-27 million tonnes of straw. Of the total amount of straw generated in this area, about 70% is burned in the field or buried in the soil.

The burning of rice straw in the field has caused a loss of nutrients in the straw, loss of biodiversity and environmental pollution. Burying rice straw in the field causes increased methane and greenhouse gas emissions.

At the event, the delegates agreed it is necessary for the functional sector to research and propose reasonable policies, as well as promulgate procedures and manuals for rice straw management towards circular and low emission agriculture in the Mekong Delta.