Bangkok, Thailand, 24–25 July 2025 — In a collaborative effort to enhance technical capacity for greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement in rice cultivation, the International Rice Research Institute, in partnership with the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), conducted a two-day technical training program for researchers and field practitioners. The training focused on the science behind CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from rice paddies and introduced participants to modern measurement techniques using new laser-based LI-COR Trace Gas Analyzers.

The event provided an overview of the relevance of GHG emissions from rice cultivation to climate change and Thailand’s national GHG inventory. Participants of the training were introduced to key measurement tools and techniques. A key highlight of the training was the hands-on introduction to the Trace Gas Analyzer in combination with a greenhouse gas measurement chamber, an advanced instrument designed to measure methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and water vapor (H₂O) with high precision. This portable gas analyzer is suitable for agricultural and ecological research to quantify gas exchange between soils and the atmosphere. The participants observed chamber and analyzer setup, initial gas sampling, data recording, and exporting techniques in real-time field conditions and learned how to operate the equipment, understand its hardware and software interface, and carry out routine maintenance and troubleshooting. The final activities focussed on data processing, including slope and flux calculation, pre-processing raw data files, and running analysis scripts using R. The training concluded with exercises on manual curve inspection and daily flux estimation.

This training marks another step in advancing Thailand’s technical readiness for emission baseline development and thus better targeting of MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) interventions in the rice sector. By equipping the participants with both theoretical understanding and hands-on experience, IRRI and its partners are supporting the country’s efforts to meet its climate targets through improved agricultural emissions monitoring.

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