Rice methane reduction projects are an emissions-reduction project type within the agriculture & soils segment of the carbon market. They are designed to reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation through alternative water and crop management. The carbon benefit comes from reduced methane generation during rice cultivation. Common project configurations include Alternate wetting and drying; modified paddy water management.

Rice projects are one of the clearest examples of how farm practice changes can materially affect methane formation in flooded systems. Many of these pathways focus on methane or other potent non-CO2 gases, so they can have strong near-term climate significance; at the same time, the integrity of baseline assumptions, destruction efficiency, and ongoing monitoring is especially important. For buyers and program designers, the most important diligence questions are: Is the baseline water-management regime accurately documented? Are yield, adoption, and leakage effects considered?