Himachal Agri University Study Finds Direct-Seeded Rice Cuts Emissions, Saves Water and Shows Carbon Credit Potential

Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, CSKHPKV, and Savannah Seeds announced results from a multi-year study showing that direct-seeded SAVA-134 FullPage® can help make rice production more climate-smart and resource-efficient. Compared with conventional transplanted rice systems, the approach reduced methane emissions by nearly 90%, delivered the highest water productivity, improved soil health, and showed greater potential for carbon credit generation.

The study, titled “Popularization of Direct-Seeded Rice Technology for Climate Change Adaptation by Reducing GHG Emissions and Acquiring Carbon Credit,” was conducted across two major rice-growing regions of Himachal Pradesh. It compared conventional transplanted rice with direct-seeded rice over multiple growing seasons, assessing crop yields, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and soil health.

The research was led by Dr. Dhanbir Singh, Assistant Soil Chemist, Department of Soil Science, CSKHPKV, Palampur, with support from Savannah Seeds. Among the direct-seeded treatments evaluated, SAVA-134 FullPage® recorded the strongest overall balance of productivity, resource efficiency and environmental performance, according to the study.

“Our goal was to evaluate practical solutions that can help farmers improve productivity while reducing environmental impact,” said Dr. Singh. “The results demonstrate that direct-seeded rice can play an important role in advancing more climate-smart and resource-efficient rice production systems.”

Methane emissions reduction

"Among the direct-seeded treatments evaluated, SAVA-134 FullPage® delivered the strongest overall balance of productivity, resource efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It maintained strong yields while using fewer resources and generating a significantly smaller carbon footprint," said a company press release. 

One of the key findings was a nearly 90% reduction in methane emissions compared with conventional transplanted rice systems. The study also found that the direct-seeded SAVA-134 system recorded the highest water productivity, highlighting its potential to help address increasing water constraints facing rice farmers.

In addition, SAVA-134 FullPage® showed the greatest potential for carbon credit generation, while soil health indicators improved under the system. These improvements included higher soil organic carbon, increased microbial activity, better water-holding capacity and reduced soil compaction. The FullPage® system maintained strong yields while requiring fewer resources and producing a smaller carbon footprint, the study found.

Public-private partnership 

Dr. Vinod Sharma, Director of Research, CSKHPKV Palampur, said the research demonstrated the value of collaboration between public agricultural institutions and the private sector. “This study is a strong example of a public-private partnership working to develop climate-resilient and sustainable farming practices,” Sharma said.

Ajai Rana, CEO & MD of Savannah Seeds, said farmers are increasingly expected to raise food production while using fewer resources and reducing agriculture's environmental footprint. “Rice farmers are being asked to produce more food with fewer resources while also reducing environmental impacts,” Rana said. “This research demonstrates that innovation in crop genetics and production practices can help achieve both goals.”

Direct seeding offers an alternative 

Rice is the world's most important food crop, cultivated on more than 164 million hectares (405 million acres) and serving as a major source of dietary energy for more than half of the global population. Asia accounts for around 90% of global rice production, with transplanted rice remaining widely practiced. 

Conventional transplanted rice generally involves maintaining flooded fields, which requires substantial amounts of water and labor and contributes to methane emissions. At the same time, farmers are facing growing challenges from labor shortages, water scarcity, rising production costs and climate change.

Against this backdrop, direct-seeded rice is increasingly being considered as an alternative production method that can reduce resource requirements while maintaining productivity.