Rize Advances Sustainable Rice in An Giang, Vietnam with AWD Adoption Across 2,000 Hectares in Summer - Fall Season, Establishes Baseline for Future MRL Success

An Giang, Vietnam, September 2025

Rize, a regional agri-tech company, has expanded its work with farmer cooperatives in the Mekong Delta to implement climate-smart rice cultivation practices. In the 2025 Summer-Autumn season, Rize supported farmers across 2,000 hectares in adopting Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), while also piloting Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) rice for export readiness.

Farmers under the program achieved an average yield of 7 tons per hectare and suaccessfully conducted two AWD drying events across the pilot area. This marks important progress in scaling sustainable rice production, reducing methane emissions, and conserving water.

As part of the pilot, Rize also implemented MRL monitoring to help farmers prepare for premium export markets such as the European Union. Due to unfavorable weather conditions and widespread pest outbreaks, farmers had to rely heavily on pesticide use; thereby falling short of our target for MRL qualified Hectares in this season. While the results highlight the challenges posed by climate variability, they also provide a clear baseline and learning milestone for strengthening farmer support and compliance pathways in upcoming seasons.

Why MRL Rice and AWD Matter

MRL: Farmer Income Improvement Opportunity through ExportMRL refers to Maximum Residue Limit — an international export standard enforced by the European Union, requiring strict control of pesticide residues in imported rice. Meeting MRL standards creates direct income opportunities for farmers, who can access price premiums from exporters and global supply chains. Beyond financial incentives, MRL production supports environmental sustainability by reducing chemical runoff and lowering farmer exposure to agrochemicals.

Scaling MRL-compliant rice is challenging. Farmers must select and apply inputs correctly, prevent cross-contamination, and manage unpredictable pest pressures without exceeding residue limits. This season’s result demonstrates why technical guidance and robust input advisory are essential to achieve consistency.

AWD: Decarbonizing Rice Production Through a Simple TechniqueAWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying) is a proven cultivation method where rice fields are allowed to dry intermittently rather than remaining continuously flooded. AWD can:

• Reduce methane emissions by up to 45% (methane is 28x more potent than CO₂).

• Cut water usage by approximately 20%.

• Maintain or even increase yields by up to 5% when applied correctly.
  

Despite these benefits, AWD adoption in Vietnam has been limited by a lack of farmer incentives and technical knowledge. This season’s successful adoption across 2,000 hectares proves that with agronomist support and monitoring systems, AWD can be scaled effectively in the Mekong Delta.

Quotes

• “As a cooperative pioneering in sustainable rice cultivation, we see AWD and strict control of pesticide residues (MRL) as essential practices under climate change and pursuit of sustainable cultivation. These methods not only protect our environment, but also lay the foundation for developing a high-quality, high value and traceable rice value chain aligned with Vietnam’s ‘1-million-hectare of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta region by 2030’ and global rice export standard.” - said Mr. Cường from Vinh Cuong Coop
  

• “We believe sustainable rice production is not only vital for climate resilience and food security, but also a great opportunity for value creation in Vietnam’s agriculture. At Rize, our vision is to become a pioneering in building a low-emission, traceable, and export-ready rice ecosystem - setting the benchmark for sustainable rice in the region.”  - said Mr. Huy Dung Nguyen, Country Head, Rize Vietnam
  

• “The transition to sustainable rice cultivation is a long journey - one that requires both knowledge and close technical support. At Rize, we combine advanced practices like AWD and MRL with digital tools, including our farm-recording app and MRV system for emission monitoring, to help farmers farm smarter and meet global standards. We’re also committed to developing a strong network of local agronomists who can bring sustainable know-how directly to their communities.” - said Mr. Long Nguyen, AWD Manager, Rize Vietnam

Future Outlook

Building on this season’s outcomes, Rize will continue to:

1. Strengthen Pest Management & Input Advisory: Introduce improved input packages, pest response protocols, and farm-level training to help farmers manage disease outbreaks without breaching MRL standards.

2. Scale AWD Adoption: Expand AWD advisory and monitoring across additional cooperatives in the Mekong Delta, targeting 15,000 hectares in the next season.

3. Develop Farmer Resilience Tools: Provide zero-interest, buy-now-pay-later input packages, machinery services, and export market linkages to reduce farmer risk and increase incomes.

4. Support National & Global Climate Goals: Align with Vietnam’s ambition to establish 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice by 2030, while contributing to global decarbonization targets.