Gold Standard and the International Rice Research Institute have released a new resource hub designed to encourage and support the development of sustainable rice production activities in Vietnam and around the world by simplifying rice producers’ access to new income streams from carbon finance. The new ‘Rice Sustainability Hub’ is now available to access on the Gold Standard for the Global Goals website.
In 2022, Gold Standard entered a partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) with the aim of scaling carbon market access for sustainable rice producers in Vietnam. The Rice Sustainability Hub developed through the partnership is the first of its kind for the rice sector in Vietnam.
The Rice Sustainability Hub is designed to group the resources and tools Project Developers and Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) need to effectively support the development of sustainable rice projects under the Gold Standard “Methane Emission Reduction by Adjusted Water Management Practice in Rice Cultivation” methodology.
The hub includes helpful resources to make the design, implementation, and verification of rice projects as streamlined as possible, including a pre-filled project design document, guidance for applying Gold Standard’s Digital SDG Impact Tool, a validation checklist for VVBs, and a methodology summary. Demonstration videos and a training for VVBs will be provided in the coming weeks.
While the focus of the platform is on promoting project activities in Vietnam, most of the resources and tools are also relevant for sustainable rice projects located in other countries. The hub will be updated over time in response to user feedback and as new resources are developed.