This project pursues the development and testing of a novel production system that transforms predominantly monocultured rice (Oryza sativa) paddies into multifunctional sustainable ecosystems. With a multi- and transdisciplinary approach, the project ensures an ideal combination of technical and socio-economic expertise and engagement of a broad range of actors for maximised impact. The project has an equally balanced focus on addressing and mitigating the anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity loss as well as the socio-economic and policy drivers (hindering and enabling factors) for successful adoption of the proposed novel production system at scale. Rice (Oryza sativa) is a major global staple cultivated on over 165 million hectares worldwide. Approximately 76 % of production comes from irrigated lowland systems, often managed as intensive monocultures with multiple cropping cycles per year, resulting in biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and environmental contamination.
Hence there is a strong need to develop new cultivation methods for rice, embedded in innovative strategies for greenhouse gas emission mitigation and enhancement of on-farm biodiversity.
