Japanese duo link AI tech to boost rice methane projects
Quantum Commodity Intelligence – Two Japanese companies with expertise in smart technologies are collaborating on a study into the optimisation of water management in rice cultivation while generating carbon credits under Japan's J-Credit offset scheme.
Enowa, which specialises in smart technologies for the agriculture sector that help generate carbon credits, is adding AI imaging technology developed by NTT Data CCS to its Paditch carbon offset technology with the aim of further increasing rice yields and reducing production costs from projects than create carbon credits.
NTT's system is able to carry out analysis of the growth stages of rice without using image analysis and AI from images taken with smartphones and fixed cameras to help determine practices to help improve rice growth.
It is connected to Enowa's Paditch system, which is linked with smartphones, tablets and PCs to allow corporates that have signed up to buy J-Credits from projects that have installed the technology.
Paditch works with projects developed using the 'Extension of mid-drying period in paddy rice cultivation' (AG-005) J-Credit methodology.
Under the methodology, emissions are reduced by farmers extending the mid-summer drainage period in the paddy field by at least seven days during the last two years or more of production.
The Paditch technology's water level adjustment function allows for remote management of water levels and temperatures after rice planting and for automatic adjustments if the levels and temperatures have been set in advance, Enowa said at the product's launch in August.
The system helps save time and cut down on labour costs and makes it easier for the buying and selling of carbon credits, which is further enhanced with the addition of the NTT technology.
Rice production is responsible for around 10% of the world's and 45% of Japan's methane emissions.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 27-30 times greater than carbon dioxide over 100 years.
