July 11, 2025

Piloting sustainable uses of rice straw in ASEAN – feasibility study launched

Activities, News and Events, SFF

Story: Tobias Breunig Photos: The Piloting Sustainable Uses of Rice Straw Project

Each year, millions of tonnes of rice straw are left behind after the harvest across Southeast Asia. Much of this biomass is burned in the fields, contributing to air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and regional haze. While burning is a quick solution for farmers, it represents a missed opportunity to turn rice straw into a valuable resource that supports sustainable agriculture and rural economies.

To address this challenge, the Piloting Sustainable Uses of Rice Straw project, under the Study and Expert Fund, has joined forces with the ASEAN Secretariat and local partners in the region to pilot business models for rice straw valorisation that benefit both farmers and the environment. The project has now published its feasibility study, conducted between 2023 and 2025, which assesses practical alternatives to open-field burning and identifying business models that can transform straw management across the ASEAN region. It serves as a handbook for policymakers and stakeholders in the sector including private companies, governments and farmers etc to guide initiatives to reduce burning.

The study draws on pilot activities conducted in Chiang Rai province, Thailand, which is often identified as a national ‘hotspot’ for air pollution due to its high incidence of burning. At this pilot site, smallholder farmers often with diverse cropping systems and very small plots tested new approaches to sustainable straw management. Lessons and insights gained were subsequently shared through regional knowledge-sharing events among ASEAN member states.

The study emphasises that there is no single solution to the rice straw burning problem. Instead, a portfolio of technologies and market-driven approaches is needed. Some methods, such as composting for biofertiliser or rice straw mushroom production are already commercially viable and can bring immediate benefits. Others – like using straw in pulp, building materials, biodegradable packaging or advanced bioenergy – require pilots and investment to stimulate markets and build farmers’ confidence.

The report introduces five key recommendations for ASEAN stakeholders:

Mechanise and optimise rice straw collection
Pilot post-harvest models, particularly storage, densification and transport
Initiate new and strengthen existing markets for rice straw products
Raise awareness, training and capacity-building on sustainable straw management
Facilitate a multi-stakeholder platform for knowledge exchange and action

“This initiative is not merely a response to the necessity of environmental stewardship but a proactive strategy to develop practical solutions that lead to meaningful change. Together, we can reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously empowering our farmers with sustainable practices that enhance their economic stability and resilience,” said Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community, in the foreword to the study.

The feasibility study was officially launched during the 32nd ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Crops (ASWGC) Meeting, held from 9th-11th July 2025 in South Tangerang, Indonesia, where government representatives and partners highlighted the urgency of tackling rice straw burning while creating new opportunities for farmers and businesses.

The Piloting Sustainable Uses of Rice Straw project (SFF Rice Straw) is commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by GIZ, and carried out with political support from the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC). The feasibility study has been developed in cooperation with the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility and Climate (TGC EMC) Biomass Component.

Read the full report here: Piloting Sustainable Use Cases of Rice Straw – A Feasibility Study