AWD irrigation technology saves underground water

BSS, Rangpur :
Adoption of Alternate Drying and Wetting (AWD) irrigation technology while farming Boro crop increases rice production at reduced costs saving enormous underground water, environment, ecology and bio-diversity.
Agriculture experts said this at a farmers’ training course on ‘Adoption of AWD Technology in Rice Farming’ organised by RDRS Bangladesh at the hall room of Agrani Mohishkhoncha Federation under Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat on Tuesday.
Aditmari Upazila Agriculture Officer Hamidur Rahman attended the daylong training course as the chief guest with President of Agrani Mohishkhoncha Federation of RDRS Bangladesh Mozmul Haque in the chair.
Assistant Coordinator (Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Abdul Mannan, its Senior Officer of Women Rights Unit Dilruba Parveen, Field Supervisor Khademul Islam and Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Biswanath Barman addressed as the special guests.
Technical Officer (Agriculture) of RDRS Bangladesh Nirmal Kumar Kundu presented the keynote paper on the simplest and cheapest ever AWD technology in the course participated by 55 male and female farmers of Mohishkhoncha union.
Nirmal Kumar Kundu said mass adoption of AWD technology reduces at least 5 irrigations and 30 percent irrigation water compared to farmers’ general practice saving 30 litres of diesel for irrigation to produce 500 kg paddy more per hectare.
The farmers generally consume 3,000 to 5,000 litres irrigated underground water to produce one kilogram of paddy, whereas 1,500 to 2,000 litres are required for producing the same if AWD is adopted, he said.
He said if the AWD technology was adopted for irrigating 47.80 lakh hectares of Boro fields in the country, it could bring benefit to the extent of Taka 6,500 crore annually producing 24 lakh tonnes more paddy and saving huge water, diesel and electricity.
The agriculture experts said AWD is a conservation-based agriculture technology that reduces lifting of underground water and increases Boro rice production at reduced cost amid climate change saving environment, ecology and bio-diversity.
They said AWD is a simple technology of determining irrigation time in Boro fields and it requires only a 10 cm dia and 25 cm long PVC pipe or hollow bamboo pieces or even waste bottles of water or cold drinks.
The chief guest suggested the farmers for availing of full advantage using AWD technology to produce additional paddy at lower cost and ensure food security saving huge underground water side by side improving environment and ecology.