Dear Members of the Sustainable Rice NDC Alliance,
Since our last April update, the Sustainable Rice NDC Alliance, and its secretariat - SRI-2030, has continued to work with government, academic and development partners to accelerate the adoption of high-yield, low-emission rice cultivation practices in line with countries’ climate and food security policy commitments. A systematic, government-backed approach incorporating the knowledge and experience of those in the field is vital for transformative change. As the 2025 deadline for Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitments approaches, there is increasing urgency to establish and update these policy commitments that will influence the approach of governments and shape the next five years. Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) and National Rice Development Strategies (NRDS) also provide the policy infrastructure for future planning.
Recent Activities
Following our last newsletter, the Alliance has remained focused on Africa, holding a joint webinar with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) - “The Rice Agenda: Cultivating Change for Development Benefits.” The event, for IsDB staff and other stakeholders, aimed to raise awareness of high-yield, climate-smart rice production through the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) with a particular focus on how SRI can be incorporated into IsDB’s existing work.
In July, SRI-2030, the secretariat of the Alliance, led multiple sessions at the event “Promoting Climate-Smart Rice in Africa Workshop” in Nairobi, organised by the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP). This event focused on knowledge exchange within anglophone rice-producing countries in Africa and with research and implementation institutions. SRI-2030 led the discussions on how NDCs provide a framework that offers countries benefits beyond the direct impacts of the policies themselves. We also facilitated a World Cafe activity for participants to brainstorm on barriers and opportunities with peers from different countries. The highlight of the event was the simulation for updating NDCs where groups of experts from member countries explored practical ways to overcome current barriers to both implementing and revising their NDC commitments.
SRI-2030’s work in Nigeria and Senegal currently focuses on strategising the implementation of NDC and NRDS policy goals leveraging existing resources. Additionally, SRI-2030 is assisting Liberia in securing funding for an NDC stocktake and update.
