author(s)
Katrine Holm

abstract
Rice is the staple food for more than half of the global population, yet its cultivation faces unprecedented threats from climate change. Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall, salinity intrusion, and pest-disease surges undermine productivity and increase vulnerability in both irrigated and rainfed systems. Conventional responses such as breeding and chemical inputs are insufficient in isolation. Horticultural techniques—broadly understood as agronomic practices that manipulate soil, water, canopy, and ecological interactions—offer pragmatic and locally adaptable pathways for resilience. This paper examines a range of interventions including alternate wetting and drying (AWD), direct-seeded rice (DSR), the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), mulching, soil organic matter enrichment, biochar application, silicon and potassium nutrition, ecological engineering, rice-fish-duck integration, raised beds, and laser land leveling. Evidence indicates that these practices not only stabilize yields under climate stress but also generate co-benefits such as water savings, reduced methane emissions, improved soil health, and enhanced biodiversity ^[1-4]. Socio-economic considerations such as labor dynamics, gender roles, and service ecosystems strongly influence adoption ^{[5, 6]}. Policy reforms in water governance, subsidy realignment, and integration with climate finance are necessary to scale these innovations ^{[7, 8]}. By synthesizing agronomic research and field evidence, this paper positions horticultural techniques as central components of climate-smart rice cultivation strategies.