Fukushima town launches rice-based carbon credit project under Japan’s J-Credit scheme

Excerpt from eco-business.com

Japanese agricultural decarbonisation firm Faeger said it will partner with the town of Hirono in Fukushima Prefecture to generate carbon credits from rice cultivation and develop a premium rice brand produced using climate-friendly farming methods.

The agreement aims to cut agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while boosting crop quality and farmers’ incomes, the Tokyo-based company said in a statement last week.

Under the partnership, farmers will extend the mid-season drainage period of paddy fields – a technique known to reduce methane emissions – and adopt other measures such as biochar use to generate government-certified J-Credits. Revenue from the credits will be reinvested in heat-resilience measures and improvements to the cultivation environment, the company said.