Mariano Marcos
State University

PJM leads methane gas sampling in Vintar rice fields for 2026 wet-season study

 By Jareason Fabre

Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), led by President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., conducted methane gas sampling in rice fields in Brgy. Alejo Malasig, Vintar, on September 15 as part of the 2026 wet-season field experiment on Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) in rice cultivation.

The project, titled “Methane Emissions from Rice Cultivation Systems Utilizing Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) in Ilocos Norte,” is a collaboration with Verde Carbon Capture, Inc. This company is led by President Takato Senoo and is a local subsidiary of Green Carbon Inc., a Japanese climate technology firm. It aims to explore AWD as an effective irrigation method for rice farming.

MMSU project staff, led by Dr. Janet Villamor, participated in the activity, along with members of the Rotary Club of Laoag Sunshine, who showed their support.

The project covers 118 hectares in Brgy. Alejo Malasig and Parut in Vintar, as well as Brgy. Surgui in Paoay. Its goals include improving water efficiency in rice farming, maintaining rice productivity, and measuring methane emissions from different water management methods. The AWD project also brings science and technology closer to ordinary farmers by transforming their farms into learning and demonstration sites where research becomes practical, understandable, and relevant.

As farmer-cooperators, they gain hands-on exposure to data gathering, field monitoring, research methods, and evidence-based water management practices. Their participation also provides additional livelihood opportunities and income, demonstrating how university research can strengthen farmer capacity while advancing climate-smart agriculture and rural livelihoods.

During the event, President Manzano, an agriculture engineer by profession, guided the water monitoring and gas sampling in the AWD field as the research team began its wet-season monitoring. As an ASEAN engineer, the President emphasized the need for climate-resilient and efficient farming practices. He advocates for innovative irrigation methods like AWD to optimize water usage while maintaining high productivity. Through collaboration among research institutions, government, and local communities, Dr. Manzano believes that sustainable agricultural practices can be developed to address climate challenges.

The team added more perforated water-monitoring tubes in Vintar to better track water levels. Over the season, the project team will monitor water levels, assess soil and field conditions, measure crop growth and biomass, and evaluate grain yield. They will also check methane emissions using a method that collects gas samples from designated rice plots. The data collected during the wet season will provide valuable insights into AWD use, rice performance, water management, and methane emissions under local growing conditions in Ilocos Norte.

The AWD research in Ilocos Norte began its implementation in November 2026. The data collected from this project are essential for enhancing rice cultivation methods.