Globally, one in nine people suffer from undernourishment with evidence that this number is increasing. Additionally, due to the projected 50% increase in global population, the demand in worldwide animal-sourced protein is expected to double by 2050. Furthermore, not only are global animal protein supply chains susceptible to the effects of climate change, but they are also a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and require large areas of arable land. Single cell proteins (SCPs) are an alternative protein source that offer a potential route to reduce the environmental impact of global protein consumption. One such SCP is Fusarium venenatum, which is a strain of mycoprotein widely sold under the brand name Quorn and is produced through the fermentation of the microorganism on glucose. However, this glucose still has a significant arable land-use burden associated with it. In order to mitigate this burden, sugars derived from agricultural lignocellulosic residues could be used, however, additional processing steps are required. In this work, exploratory research on fermentation of F. venenatum on sugars derived from lignocellulosic residues is presented. The food-grade ionic liquid [Ch][HSO₄] was employed in combination with food-grade Celluclast 1.5L to extract glucose from rice straw residues, which resulted in an overall glucose yield of 42.4% compared to using non-food certified ionic liquid [TEA][HSO₄], which yielded 92.8%. Based on these results, a Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) were conducted after synthesising a biorefinery process model. TEA modelling outcomes highlighted that the crude mycoprotein paste product could be produced for $5.04 kg⁻¹ ($40.04 per kg-protein). By conducting a retro-techno-economic analysis, it was shown that there is reasonable scope for reducing this price further by improving saccharification yields and utilising feedstocks with high cellulose contents. Furthermore, LCA results demonstrated significant sustainability benefits of lignocellulosic-derived mycoprotein, with greenhouse gas emissions less than 14% that of protein from beef. However, the most significant advantage of this technology is the minimal dependence on arable land compared to animal-sourced and plant-sourced proteins such as beef and tofu.

Managing rice straw remains a challenge in Asia where more rice, and hence, more straw, is grown each year to meet rising demand. The widespread burning of rice straw is a major contributor to dangerously high levels of air pollution in South- and Southeast Asia associated with health issues. At the same time, researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs are developing a range of alternative uses that turn rice straw into a commodity around which sustainable value chains can be built to benefit rural people. The best alternative to burning rice straw in any one location depends on context. However, available information remains scattered in different media and no publication yet exists that helps people learn about, and decide between, rice straw management options. This book provides a synthesis of these options and integrates knowledge on relevant areas: sustainable rice straw management practices, rice straw value chains, and business models. The book is also based on new research and practice data from research organizations and innovators in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Cambodia.

Collection is still a major challenge in the supply chain of rice straw to prepare feedstock for further use. Straw needs to be gathered from the field and compressed into bales to make it compact and easy to transport. With the introduction of combine harvesters, the collection of rice straw has become harder and more costly. This created negative impacts on other businesses that use rice straw. Mechanization of rice straw collection was introduced in Vietnam in 2013 and it has rapidly developed since. Most of the rice straw produced in the dry season in the Mekong River Delta (MD) of Vietnam is collected for mushroom and for livestock fodder production or for use as mulching materials. In order to quantify the performance of the mechanical operation of rice straw collection, this study conducted an analysis of energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission (GHGE), and cost of rice straw collection in the MD for five collection machines that operated on the same field, the same rice variety, and the same harvest time under a demonstration in the MD. With rice straw yield of 4.72t per ha, the collection machines operated at a capacity of 0.87–2.47t per hour. This mechanized operation can reduce labor requirement by 90%. Specific weight of baled straw was from 73 to 104kg per cubic meter, which is heavier by 50–100% than that of loose-form straw, at a moisture content of 12.4 (±1.21)% in wet basis. Total energy consumption, ranging from 351 to 588MJ per ton of straw collected, accounted for 10–17% of the total energy input using this collected straw for biogas production. Energy consumption from fossil fuels results in GHGE of 60–165kg CO2 equivalent per ton of collected straw. The cost of straw collection, which ranged from US$12 to US$18 per ton of straw in the MD, accounted for 10–20% of the total investment cost of biogas or mushroom production. This study illustrated the feasibility of the mechanization of rice straw collection for further processing. Despite the GHGE of this may cause through the consumption of fossil fuels, mechanized rice straw collection creates more benefits such as avoiding in-field burning, producing feedstock for further sustainable processing, and adding value to rice production

Rice straw is a readily available, practical, and cheap source of fodder for feeding ruminants such as buffaloes, cattle, goats, and sheep. Livestock producers commonly haul and stack rice straw from their rice farm, which then forms reserved feed for their animals during lean months or when good-quality roughages are scarce. The feeding of pure rice straw to ruminants during the stages of fast growth and early lactation has been shown to affect both body condition score and animal performance. This is due to lower dry matter intake and protein content (from 4.0% to 4.7% crude protein) of the straw. The high silica and lignin contents of straw also contribute to poor nutrient (dry matter and protein) digestibility (<50%). So, pretreatment of straw is necessary to enhance its contribution to improving meat and milk production. Science- and technology-based farm strategies to optimize the nutritive and feeding values of rice straw had been developed with significant improvement on intake, nutrient digestibility, and animal performance. These technologies were also proven effective in contributing additional income to livestock producers from the sales of milk or live animals. This chapter presents and discusses current innovations and developed technologies on how the nutritive (nutrient composition and fiber fraction) and feeding values of rice straw can be improved. Specifically, this focuses on pretreatment (optimization process), enrichment, and recycling of rice straw by physical, chemical, and biological processes. Also covered are practical feeding protocols when rice straw—or its combination with other feed ingredients—is used in formulating a ration. The authors also share secondary information on the effect of rice straw as animal fodder on the improvement in animal performance and production efficiencies; as well as its impact on food production (meat and milk), increasing farmers’ income, and on the protection of the environment.