Verra Approves First Credits Under Rice Methodology 

Verra has approved the first carbon credits under its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology for improved management of rice production systems.

The credits were generated by the Core Carbon Sustainable Rice Productions 01 project (Verra Project 3243) in India, which has avoided over 210,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) by implementing improved water and crop management practices in flooded rice paddies. The project is located in the coastal state of Telangana, a major rice-producing region in southern India.

Participating farmers use an alternate wetting and drying (AWD) approach, in which fields are allowed to dry periodically before being irrigated again rather than kept continuously flooded. This lets more oxygen reach the soil, slowing the activity of the microbes that produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. To support the shift, the project proponent, Core CarbonX Solutions, provides farmers with field water tubes, training, and technical support. Core CarbonX Solutions also shares revenue from the sale of carbon credits with the farmers.

The methodology, VM0051 Improved Management in Rice Production Systems, adopts the latest scientific principles to ensure the robust quantification of greenhouse gas emission reductions resulting from such rice cultivation practices. It also incentivizes the adoption of innovative management practices, such as the growing of improved rice varieties and the use of methanotrophic bacteria to further reduce methane emissions.

Flooded rice cultivation is one of the largest sources of agricultural methane emissions worldwide. The Verra Registry lists 13 other projects that use VM0051 and that are under development or undergoing validation. They are located in several countries including India, Brazil, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Madagascar.

The validation/verification body (VVB) for this project was VKU Certification Private Limited.