PhilRice Encourages Farmers to Adopt Water-Saving Technology to Mitigate Drought Effects

(PNA) — The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is encouraging farmers to adopt techniques that could save water especially in times of drought.

Arlina Golonan, PhilRice researcher, said that with the El Niño conditions projected by Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to progress over the coming months, farmers should learn and adopt techniques that could save water.

Golonan said one of these techniques is Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), a water-saving technology where rice fields are alternately flooded and drained.

From the conventional way of growing rice that uses continuous flooding, she said AWD makes use of the cycle of draining and reflooding of rice paddies, keeping an optimum water level at any particular time.

Golonan said that this technology provides timely water needs of farms that do not have enough water supply and helps farmers save up to 30 percent water.

She said that it typically takes 2,000 liters of water to produce a kilogram of paddy (unmilled rice) through conventional way.

“PhilRice study reveals that farmers can reduce water by 16 to 35 percent without decreasing grain yield,” Golonan said.

AWD was developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRIP) and is now being introduced to farmers.

At present, the PhilRice is conducting a technical briefing to explain AWD technology to farmers in Isabela.

Golonan said the move is helpful to farmers in Isabela because the Magat Dam, the source of irrigation for the fields of most farmers, cannot supply all the needed water.

In San Mateo, Isabela alone, 1,503 hectares out of 8,353 hectares remain uncultivated due to insufficient water for irrigation.

Golonan said the AWD technology is applicable to larger irrigation schemes but it is also just as useful for rice farmers who rely on pump irrigation. (PNA) LAP/ZST/MCV/PS