Germany has launched the Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions (CORE) Project to support 12,000 smallholder farmers in Nigeria with climate-smart rice cultivation practices. 

The initiative spans Benue, Nasarawa, and Kano States, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while boosting sustainable rice production.

The 3-year pilot project, which runs from 2024 to 2027, is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ in collaboration with Olam Agri. 

The programme is designed to strengthen sustainable value chains, promote innovation, and prepare farmers to benefit directly from climate action through carbon markets.

In 2023, Germany provided €9.94 billion for global climate initiatives. Germany’s BMZ, with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the EU, pledged €117 million to improve agri-food systems, food security, and climate resilience in Nigeria and the ECOWAS region.

The CORE Project will introduce alternate wetting and drying practices, biochar application, and low-emission irrigation methods to improve soil health, reduce methane emissions, and increase rice yields.

Olam Agri described the initiative as a significant step in linking sustainable farming to carbon markets, enabling farmers to earn carbon credits while strengthening food security. 

Meanwhile, Nigerian climate officials stressed the importance of urgent action, noting that agriculture contributes around 33 per cent of the country’s GHG emissions, largely from rice paddies, despite accounting for a quarter of GDP.

Nigeria faces an annual loss of approximately $100 million due to climate-related flooding.

In response, stakeholders have highlighted the CORE Project as a scalable solution. This initiative aims to tackle food insecurity, decrease emissions, and empower rural communities.

Source: NAN