The RiceEco project, supported by the Mekong–Republic of Korea (RoK) Cooperation Fund (MKCF), is delivering economic gains for farmers while reducing environmental harm through rice straw reuse. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the project’s proponent, presented these results at a final stakeholder workshop on January 20, 2026 in Hanoi, marking the conclusion of three years of pilot implementation in Viet Nam and Cambodia.
“Since its launch in February 2023, RiceEco has consistently stood out as one of MKCF’s most impactful initiatives, showcasing long-term, practical, and scalable solutions to transboundary haze linked to rice straw burning. With the positive results of this pilot, we can now confidently say this is a proven waste-to-value model that should be adapted across other countries in the Mekong region,” said Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, Executive Director of the Mekong Institute (MI), which manages the MKCF.
RiceEco, or the “Rice Straw–Based Circular Economy for Improved Biodiversity and Sustainability” project, showed that rice straw, instead of being burned, can be repurposed in ways that benefit farmers, the environment, and local economies. In Viet Nam’s Mekong River Delta, the project aimed to reduce rice straw burning by at least 20 percent, but studies conducted between 2023 and 2025 found that improved straw management reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by even up to 36 percent, while improving soil health and maintaining or increasing rice and vegetable yields.
According to IRRI, the project also demonstrated strong economic results. Pilot activities increased the overall value of rice straw by more than 20 percent, raising farmer incomes by at least 12 percent, or about USD 200 per hectare per year. More advanced business models combining straw collection, mushroom production, composting, and on-farm reuse showed even higher returns, increasing farm income by up to USD 1,000 per hectare annually while reducing chemical fertilizer use by around 40 percent.
Equally important, RiceEco encouraged real changes in farmer practices. Rice straw burning declined by up to 23 percent in selected seasons, driven not only by awareness-raising but by practical, market-based solutions that addressed labor shortages, tight crop cycles, and limited market access.
Recognitions and policy contributions
As the project concluded, RiceEco gained growing recognition for its combined environmental, livelihood, and policy impacts. The project received several awards, including the Asian Innovation Excellence Award 2025, which recognized RiceEco as Viet Nam’s Sustainability Innovation of the Year in Agriculture. It also won second prize at the Can Tho City Technical Innovation Competition.
Beyond recognition for on-the-ground results, RiceEco also made important contributions at the policy level. The project developed national policy briefs and practical guidelines on low-emission, circular rice farming, focusing on improved rice straw management, the use of machinery to reduce emissions, and the integration of straw reuse into rice production standards. These resources are now helping inform Viet Nam’s flagship one-million-hectare program for high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta.
The comprehensive contribution of the projectThis specific contribution to a national program earned RiceEco a Certificate of Merit from Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE). In addition, the government’s National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC) expressed support for wider adoption of RiceEco’s proven models, noting that scaling up will depend on treating rice straw as a valuable resource, strengthening market linkages, and linking straw management to carbon finance systems supported by reliable monitoring.
