Davis, California
May 3, 2007
Arcadia Biosciences
announced today that it has agreed with the government of the
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (Ningxia) of China to establish
the groundwork for a carbon credit methodology applicable to
rice crops. Such a system represents a novel way to
significantly reduce greenhouse gases through the adoption of
Nitrogen Use Efficient crops by growers. Arcadia will work with
the Ningxia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences
(NAAFS) to develop the methodology.
Beginning in April 2007, the start of the region's rice planting
season, Arcadia and the NAAFS will conduct field experiments in
Ningxia to quantify baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from
rice cultivation, as well as reductions in GHG emissions
resulting from reduced application of nitrogen fertilizer. These
experiments will be designed to be consistent with the
procedures of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change Clean Development Mechanism.
The Convention's primary goal is
to reduce atmospheric GHG concentrations to non-threatening
levels.
The impact of agriculture on climate change through GHG
emissions has not been widely addressed. According to data from
the World Resource Institute Climate Analysis Indicators Tool
(CAIT), agriculture is the second-largest industrial source of
global GHG emissions(1). Agricultural GHG emissions are less
than energy/heat production, but greater than the entire
transportation sector.
Agricultural GHG emissions are
predominantly in the form of nitrous oxide, which has a global
warming potential nearly 300 times greater than carbon dioxide.
Agriculture is responsible for 84 percent of global nitrous
oxide emissions. The widespread use of nitrogen fertilizer, less
than one-half of which is typically absorbed by crops, is
estimated to directly account for approximately one-third of
agricultural GHG emissions. This is before any consideration of
emissions associated with the production and transportation of
nitrogen fertilizer, which uses natural gas as a primary input.
For more information on agriculture and GHG emissions, visit
http://agandglobalwarming.com.
Arcadia has developed and demonstrated Nitrogen Use Efficiency
(NUE) technology that enables plants to maintain high yields
while requiring 50 percent to 60 percent less nitrogen
fertilizer. Considering global population growth trends and the
need to increase food production proportionately, NUE technology
can be an important tool to help minimize the impact of
agriculture on global warming.
Rice is a compelling crop for NUE technology because of its
importance as a staple food crop for a large percentage of the
global population. It accounts for approximately 20 percent of
global nitrogen fertilizer use (2), and it is estimated that up
to 66 percent of nitrogen fertilizer applied to rice may be lost
via nitrous oxide emissions to the air. With approximately 80
percent of the world's rice production area, agriculture in Asia
accounts for 88 percent of regional nitrous oxide emissions. The
International Rice Research Institute estimates that global rice
production results in 100 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents
per year. This is approximately the same level of annual GHG
emissions as from 18.2 million average US automobiles.
China is currently the largest consumer of nitrogen fertilizer
in the world, representing nearly 30 percent of total world
consumption (3). Irrigated rice in China accounts for
approximately 30 percent of global rice production.
"The Ningxia Region of China has the highest rate of nitrogen
use in rice and the highest rice yields in China," said Eric
Rey, president and CEO of Arcadia. "Government officials and
researchers in Ningxia have demonstrated very progressive
thinking about how farm productivity can be maintained or
increased while addressing concerns about environmental damage.
The opportunity to maintain yield while reducing both production
costs and GHG emissions is a clear example of this type of
thinking. The development of a method that allows farmers to
participate in carbon credit markets will give agriculture a
critical incentive to reduce GHG emissions. With adequate
incentives, NUE technology could be applied to rice production
globally, in which case it has the potential to be equal to
taking several million cars off the road."
The agreement also calls for collaboration on the development of
NUE and salt-tolerant rice varieties suitable for
commercialization in Ningxia. The objective for salt-tolerant
rice is to enable Ningxia farmers to reclaim salt-impacted
fields for production and reduce total demand for limited fresh
water resources.
Based in Davis, California, with additional facilities in
Seattle, Washington and Phoenix, Arizona, Arcadia Biosciences is
an agricultural biotechnology company focused on the development
of agricultural products that improve the environment and
enhance human health. For more information visit
www.arcadiabio.com.
(1) Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT) Version 4.0. Global
CO2e emissions by sector, not including land use change. World
Resources Institute, (2006).
(2) Climate Change and Rice Cropping Systems: Potential
adaptation and mitigation strategies. Report by the
International Rice Research Institute (August 2006)
(3) FAO, 2004 |
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