L-CAM
Low-Carbon Assurance Module (L-CAM)
This project was possible thanks to a grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund, which is supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and UK International Development from the UK government (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
What is L-CAM?
Rice cultivation can be a significant source of methane emissions, particularly under prolonged flooding. Facilitated by SRP, the Low-Carbon Assurance Module (L-CAM) is developed to help measure, verify, and communicate greenhouse gas reductions from rice farming in a credible, practical, and scalable way. It links on-farm practices, such as water and straw management, to measurable climate outcomes without creating additional burdens for farmers.
How Does It Work?
L-CAM follows a clear and practical process:
Who Benefit and How?
Farmers and cooperatives
- Recognition for climate-smart farming practices.
- Clear feedback on water, straw, and input management.
- Access to climate-linked incentives.
Millers, traders, and brands
- Consistent and comparable climate results across regions.
- Credible data suitable for Scope 3 reporting.
- Confidence that results are assured and not double-counted.
Governments and the wider sector
- Data that can align with national climate reporting systems.
- A scalable pathway to low-carbon rice production.
L-CAM Implementation
L-CAM is being implemented through a phased, learning-by-doing approach, starting with an initial implementation in India and followed by replication in Viet Nam.
India – L-CAM Pilot
India was the first country to implement L-CAM, serving as a real-world test of how the module functions across diverse rice-growing conditions. The pilot focused on translating improved rice management practices into credible, assurance-ready climate data.
What it covered:
- Tested L-CAM under real farming and value-chain conditions.
- Demonstrated how field data can be collected and verified.
- Helped refine data requirements, monitoring approaches, and assurance processes.
- Generated key lessons on practicality, scalability, and farmer engagement.
These lessons formed the foundation for further refinement of the L-CAM approach.
Viet Nam – Replication and Refinement
Building on the experience from India, Viet Nam is the second country to implement L-CAM, using insights and lessons learned from the first implementation.
It is an ongoing initiative that will:
- Apply the improved L-CAM design in irrigated rice systems where water management strongly influences methane emissions.
- Combine farmer-reported data with satellite monitoring to strengthen data quality and coverage.
- Test how L-CAM can operate at larger scale and align with existing rice programs.
- Further inform how L-CAM can be integrated into SRP’s broader assurance and digital systems.
Lessons from Viet Nam will guide the evolution of L-CAM and support future implementation in other rice-producing regions.
Get Involved
Please provide the following information to learn more about L-CAM or express interest in future pilots.
