Pakistan’s rice sector is exploring climate-smart farming practices to potentially access carbon financing through a proposed initiative discussed at a stakeholder consultation in Gujranwala.
The project, proposed by Galaxy Agrinomix and the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF) with support from the Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation (SPAR6C) programme, aims to promote Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), a technique that involves periodically drying rice fields between irrigations.
Experts said AWD could save around 30 per cent of irrigation water and reduce methane emissions by up to 48 per cent, although actual benefits depend on local conditions and field-level verification.
The initiative aims to register with Gold Standard and explore carbon financing under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Participants were briefed on the requirements for generating carbon credits, including documented farming practices, emissions monitoring and independent verification.
Muhammad Ali, Commissioner of Gujranwala Division, attended the consultation as chief guest, while Arif Goheer, Executive Director of the Global Change Impact Studies Centre, was the guest of honour.
Hundreds of farmers from Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura and adjoining areas, alongside government officials, researchers and industry representatives, participated in the event.
The consultation highlighted the need for farmer training, effective water management and transparent verification to ensure environmental benefits without compromising crop yields.
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