The SAFE CH4Rice (Methane Emissions from Rice Crops) project held a technical coordination meeting at VNSC Headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam from 10-11 March 2026. The meeting was attended by CH4Rice participating agencies and private sector stakeholders developing carbon credit strategies in the ASEAN region.
CH4Rice participants shared progress reports of water inundation monitoring from in-situ and satellite-based approaches to support monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of methane (CH4) emissions from rice paddies. Participants were provided L-band SAR data from the ALOS-2 and -4 satellites to verify in-situ data collection and classify the rice crop planting dates, growth stages, and crop height. Early results indicated that satellites can detect when rice fields are flooded or drained with at least 80% accuracy, which could support alternate wetting and drying (AWD) approaches and methane credit initiatives at large scales. During the meeting, CH4Rice participants confirmed their preparation of research papers to disseminate results from study sites to an open access remote sensing journal special edition in 2026.
The project now aims to explore increased observation frequencies during AWD cycles and the benefits of different radar satellites for rice water management, including the NISAR S/L-band and Biomass P-band SAR missions. Further collaboration with the private sector and local stakeholders is envisioned, supporting the development of satellite-based MRV approaches and demonstrating scalable monitoring of AWD adoption.