AWD irrigation tech saves water, increases rice output: agriculturists

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RANGPUR, April 24, 2019 (BSS) – Agriculturists at a workshop have said use
of Alternate Drying and Wetting (AWD) irrigation technology in Boro rice
cultivation saves up to 30 percent water and increases 15 percent rice
output.

They revealed the information at the regional ‘Result Sharing Workshop’
arranged under Northwest Focal Area Network Participatory AWD Technology
Dissemination programme at RDRS Training Centre here yesterday, a press
release said today.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), RDRS Bangladesh and
Northwest Focal Area Network with financial assistance of International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) organised the workshop.

The Deputy Directors of DAE, Upazila Agriculture Officers, academics,
researchers, NGO executives, irrigation pump owners and beneficiary farmers
of four northern districts attended the event.

Dinajpur Regional Additional Director of DAE Agriculturist Md. Abdul Wazed
attended the workshop as the chief guest with its Deputy Director for Rangpur
Agriculturist Dr Sarwarul Haque in the chair.

Director (Field Operations) of RDRS Bangladesh Humayun Khaled said the
organisation with GO-NGOs, research institutes, universities and farmers’
organisations is expanding AWD irrigation technology since 2016-2017 seasons
in six northern districts.

Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said the organisation won the UN’s ‘The 2018
Climate and Clean Air Award’ for successfully introducing climate friendly
AWD irrigation method in rice cultivation saving huge water and cutting
poverty for farmers.

“Some 882 farmers have cultivated Boro rice adopting AWD technology with
RDRS Bangladesh assistance on 400 acres of land using 50 shallow tube wells
in 11 upazilas of six northern districts this season,” he added.

Consultant of IRRI at Dhaka office Agriculturist Dr Ahmad Salahuddin and
Chairman of Northbengal Institute of Development Studies Dr Syed Samsuzzaman
delivered presentations on AWD technology as resource persons.

Principal Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute at
Rangpur Regional Station Dr Md. Adil Badsha, Executive Engineer of BADC
Mizanul Islam, Consultant of IRRI Noel Megor and Professor of Hajee Mohammad
Danesh Science and Technology University Dr Saiful Huda spoke.

Dr Samsuzzaman said adoption of AWD method reduces at least five times of
irrigation saving 30 percent underground water, thirty litres diesel and huge
electricity for irrigation in addition to producing 500 kilogram more Boro
rice per hectare of land.

The chief guest called for popularising the climate resilient AWD
irrigation technology among farmers in farming Boro rice to boost up rice
production saving huge water.