In the dry season of late-2022 and early 2023, Northern Thailand and the surrounding regions experienced severe air pollution from smog and haze. The roots of the problem are complex – but with a substantial share of air pollution results from the burning of agricultural residues after the harvest. This includes straw and stubble from rice, as well as agricultural residues from the maize and sugarcane industries. The problem is further aggravated by forest fires in the region.

Rice straw especially presents an opportunity for valorisation. After the harvesting of rice in Southeast Asia, the straw and stubble often remains in the field to be burned by farmers in order to clear the land for the next crop. In the absence of feasible management methods for these agricultural residues, farmers often resort to burning despite the health and pollution risks involved, and despite losing on opportunity costs for a potential sale or valorisation of rice straw. If feasible collection, storage, and processing methods for rice straw and stubble can be established, farmers can tap into this as a potential source of revenue in order to bring about a sustainable behavioral change away from burning.

GIZ, together with regional and national partners aims to facilitate methods for landscape management and innovative use cases for agricultural residues, in particular rice, to reduce agricultural burning.