SPACE ASEAN has announced the expansion of its ASEAN Impact Rice Initiative (AIRI) into Laos, marking a significant milestone in the initiative’s regional development. With Laos joining Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, AIRI now extends to five participating countries across Southeast Asia.
The expansion, announced in August 2026, reflects SPACE ASEAN’s continued efforts to advance low-emission rice cultivation, develop carbon finance opportunities, and support more sustainable agricultural practices through international cooperation and local partnerships.
Strengthening Regional Cooperation
AIRI is developed through a strategic partnership between SPACE ASEAN and AgriCapture, a U.S.-based company specializing in agricultural carbon project development and environmental markets.
Under the collaboration, AgriCapture provides expertise in carbon project development, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), carbon credit commercialization, and technical support for low-emission rice practices.
In Laos, Trade Agriculture Energy and Climate Consulting, led by Mr. Franck Caussin, is participating as the Local Implementation Partner. The partnership aims to support local stakeholder engagement and explore opportunities for improving farmers’ livelihoods through carbon finance and higher-value rice production.
By combining international expertise with local implementation capacity, AIRI seeks to establish a practical approach to agricultural decarbonization suited to the conditions and needs of participating communities.
Supporting Low-Emission Rice and Farmer Livelihoods
A central component of AIRI is the promotion of improved rice water management, including Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), where technically and locally appropriate.
When implemented under suitable conditions, AWD can help reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation while potentially improving water-use efficiency.
Through credible project development and MRV systems, AIRI aims to create opportunities for eligible farmers to benefit from carbon finance and sustainable rice value chains.
The initiative places particular emphasis on farmer participation, local partnerships, and the development of implementation arrangements that can support long-term environmental and socioeconomic outcomes.
Toward a Regional Vision of One Million Hectares
The addition of Laos represents another step toward AIRI’s long-term ambition of reaching one million hectares of low-emission rice cultivation across Southeast Asia.
As the initiative expands, SPACE ASEAN will continue coordinating with AgriCapture and local implementation partners to advance project preparation, stakeholder engagement, and opportunities for implementation in participating countries.
Through AIRI, SPACE ASEAN aims to help build a more climate-resilient, economically inclusive, and sustainable rice sector across the region.
