Enhancing the Resilience of Rice Azolla Co Cultivation in Degraded Soils through Biointegrated Approaches for Climate Smart and Net Zero Farming in Indonesia

Rice cultivation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide released from flooded paddy soils, while also being highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Degraded and saline-affected soils along Indonesia’s coastal regions further intensify this dual challenge of productivity loss and environmental stress. This study explores innovative bio-integrated approaches designed to enhance soil resilience and promote net-zero, climate-smart rice systems through the synergistic use of Azolla co-cultivation, biofertilizers, plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria, and bioameliorants. We conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines, supplemented by a bibliometric analysis using Scopus, employing keywords such as “Azolla,” “biofertilizer,” “rice,” “climate-smart agriculture,” and “net-zero farming.” From an initial 2,473 articles, 22 were identified as eligible for in-depth analysis. The results indicate that bio-integrated technologies substantially improve soil structure, organic carbon content, microbial activity, and nutrient retention while mitigating methane and nitrous oxide emissions. These approaches foster a regenerative soil ecosystem that enhances plant growth, yield stability, and carbon sequestration in degraded and saline conditions. The findings highlight that adopting bio-integrated and regenerative systems can transform conventional rice farming into a sustainable, low-carbon model capable of supporting Indonesia’s goals for climate adaptation, soil restoration, and agricultural decarbonization.