Promoting climate-smart water technologies and innovations for sustainable water resources and rice production under climate change in the Lancang-Mekong Region

The report details a regional meeting held in Thailand in October 2023, bringing together stakeholders from China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It showcases various climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies—such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)—aimed at reducing water footprints and methane emissions in rice farming. The document outlines national policy approaches, identifies barriers like limited finance and technology access, and recommends a shift toward community-centric climate finance and enhanced interagency collaboration to build regional climate resilience.

• The adoption of climate-smart technologies in rice farming within the Mekong Region can potentially reduce the water footprint by 40.29% when compared to traditional basin irrigation methods.
• Several specific climate-smart water technologies were identified as pivotal for augmenting water efficiency, including Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), Laser-controlled Land Leveling, Modern Irrigation System (MIS), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR), and Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM).
• Rice cultivation is a major source of agricultural emissions, accounting for 46.3% according to the FAO, which underscores the necessity of using climate-smart agriculture for emission reduction and adaptation.
• Current climate finance models are criticized for being too bank-oriented; the report recommends a 'people-centric approach' that develops financial products tailored to community needs to avoid increasing farmer debt.
• Implementation of climate-smart technologies in the region is hindered by several barriers, including labor force migration, limited technology access, policy incoherence, and unpredictable outcomes of CSA technologies.
• The 2019-2020 drought in Thailand serves as a critical example of climate vulnerability, affecting 1,330 km2 of farmlands and causing damages estimated at US $320 million.

APA

Prasad, S. (2024). Promoting climate-smart water technologies and innovations for sustainable water resources and rice production under climate change in the Lancang-Mekong Region. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/lmc--regional-meeting-proceedings-report-final-edited.pdf

Chicago

Prasad, Satish. Promoting climate-smart water technologies and innovations for sustainable water resources and rice production under climate change in the Lancang-Mekong Region. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2024. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/lmc--regional-meeting-proceedings-report-final-edited.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Prasad |first1=Satish |title=Promoting climate-smart water technologies and innovations for sustainable water resources and rice production under climate change in the Lancang-Mekong Region |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=February 2024 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/lmc--regional-meeting-proceedings-report-final-edited.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{prasad2024promoting, author = {Prasad, Satish}, title = {{Promoting climate-smart water technologies and innovations for sustainable water resources and rice production under climate change in the Lancang-Mekong Region}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2024}, month = feb, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/lmc--regional-meeting-proceedings-report-final-edited.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }