Creating value from waste: scalable and sustainable opportunities in Rice Straw Management

Every year, over 600 million tons of rice straw, a waste byproduct of rice harvests, is produced in Asia. Farmers often have no use for it, so many burn it in the field to make way for the next planting. This burning degrades the soil, and creates toxic pollution that can affect health and contribute to climate change. In the project “Scalable straw management options for improved farmer livelihoods, sustainability, and low environmental footprint in rice-based production systems”, scientists from IRRI and partner organizations study how this waste byproduct can be “recycled” for practical, profitable, and eco-friendly uses, and provides an extensive evidence base for governments, agribusiness, and farmers. Link to Executive Summary Report: http://ricestraw.irri.org/resources-1... For additional information, visit http://ricestraw.irri.org/