Staff Reporter :
A recent study has found that Bangladesh has achieved higher rice yields by adopting Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), a water-efficient irrigation technique.
According to the research, Boro and Aus rice grown with AWD recorded yield improvements of 32.2% and 20.5% respectively. The findings were presented on Tuesday by Taichi Watanabe, CEO of the Japanese company AJI-CLE. The results were shared at the International Seminar on Farmers’ Capacity Building Initiatives for Climate Resilient Agriculture in Bangladesh through Low-Carbon Ecosystems, organised under the ICRA-BD Project at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka. Experts highlighted that AWD can lower carbon emissions by up to five tonnes per hectare.
The ICRA-BD project has been running since October 2024 across rural Bangladesh. It is executed by a consortium of Japanese firms-RYOBI Systems and AJI-CLE-working alongside Bangladeshi organisations ANTAR and UGI, with support from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
Watanabe noted, “This year, we completed the B2 study with support from RYOBI Systems. The feasibility assessment covered three districts-Cumilla, Feni, and Chattogram-engaging nearly 6,000 farmers across 5,697 hectares.
Significant gains were observed in both Boro and Aman seasons. Boro yields rose by 32.2% over traditional methods, while Aman yields increased by 20%.”
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Dr Md Mahmudur Rahman, who inaugurated the seminar as chief guest, said that the government is close to finalising its carbon credit policy, expected within the next two months. The policy will enable Bangladesh to curb greenhouse gas emissions and enter the global carbon credit market in exchange for environmental contributions.
Although Bangladesh’s overall share of global pollution is very small, the country is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, he said.
“Still, Bangladesh is actively taking measures to cut emissions and broaden carbon credit initiatives,” he added.
Speakers explained that AWD involves intermittently draining rice fields to allow them to dry before being reflooded. This process reduces water consumption by 15-30% or more, cuts methane emissions, and sustains or boosts rice productivity.
ANTAR founder and principal advisor Emranul Huq Chowdhury said AWD has proven extremely effective in bringing down methane release.
He added that the project follows a strict protocol to ensure accurate measurement and dependable implementation.
The initiative is also introducing modern technologies for farmers, including gas-collection tools, digital monitoring systems, automated harvesters, and mechanised planters.
Technical support is being provided by the Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences (CARS) at Dhaka University and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
CARS chief scientist Dr Gazi Nurun Nahar Sultana said, “AWD is not only a scientific breakthrough but also a practical and scalable way forward for sustainable agriculture.”
The seminar demonstrated how the ICRA-BD project is advancing climate-resilient farming, enhancing food security, and boosting farmer participation through low-carbon rice production methods.
The project aims to expand AWD-based rice cultivation to 69,300 hectares by 2030.
