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The Government of Ghana, in partnership with the Government of Switzerland and facilitated by UNDP Ghana, has launched the “Promotion of Climate Smart Agriculture Practices for Sustainable Rice Cultivation Project” (AWD Rice Project) at an inception meeting in Accra.
The AWD Rice Project, one of two nationally approved UNDP-led mitigation activities under the Ghana–Switzerland bilateral cooperation framework on Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, introduces the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation technique. AWD is a simple but transformative method that reduces methane emissions from rice fields by up to 30%, saves as much as 30% irrigation water, and helps farmers maintain or increase yields.
The project directly supports Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), while also generating Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) to be purchased by Switzerland under a performance-based climate finance model. By 2030, the initiative aims to reach 11,000 farmers across 242,600 hectares of rice fields, avoiding an estimated 1.3 million tonnes of CO? equivalent emissions.
The inception meeting brought together stakeholders including the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), the Ghana Rice Inter-professional Body, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savanna Agriculture Research Institute (CSIR-SARI)7.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdul-Razak Saeed, UNDP Ghana’s Head of Environment and Climate, highlighted the transformational nature of the initiative:
“This UNDP Carbon Payment for Development project is more than a climate intervention; it is a research-driven development solution. By scaling the AWD technique, we can cut methane emissions, improve farmer livelihoods, and demonstrate how high-integrity carbon markets can drive sustainable development.”
Discussions at the meeting focused on aligning roles and responsibilities, strengthening Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems, sharing field experiences including support for the AWD farm demonstration champions, and reviewing social and environmental safeguards to ensure inclusive and sustainable project delivery.
By its conclusion, participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to the project, recognizing that the AWD Rice Project as a model for how global cooperation, anchored in local realities, can deliver climate benefits while advancing Ghana’s agricultural and development priorities.
