RANGPUR, May 29, 2019 (BSS) – Agriculturists at a meeting have said farmers started reaping benefits of Alternate Drying and Wetting (AWD) irrigation technology in farming Boro rice saving up to 30 percent water and increasing rice output.
They disclosed the information at the “Result Sharing Meeting on AWD Technology” arranged for members of the Upazila Irrigation Committee (UIC) at upazila parisahd auditorium in Kawnia upazila here on Tuesday, a press release said today.
With assistance of the upazila administration and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), RDRS Bangladesh and Northwest Focal Area Network organised the event with assistance of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
UIC Chairman and Kawnia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ulfat Ara Begum attended the event as chief guest with Member-secretary of UIC and Assistant Engineer of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation Saiful Islam in the chair.
Filed Supervisor of IRRI-AWD Project of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Md. Abdul Mazed Miah delivered welcome speech.
“Around 882 farmers have irrigated their Boro rice fields adopting AWD irrigation technology with RDRS Bangladesh assistance on 337 acres of land using 50 shallow tube wells in six northern districts this season,” Mazed said.
Agriculture Extension Officer of the DAE for Kawnia upazila Agriculturist Atik Ahmed discussed benefits of climate resilient AWD irrigation technology in farming Boro rice.
Chairman of Rangpur-based research organisation Northbengal Institute of Development Studies Agriculturist Dr. Syed Samsuzzaman delivered presentation on field level results of using AWD irrigation technology in Boro rice cultivation as resource person.
“Adoption of AWD technology saves up to 30 percent underground water, thirty litres diesel and huge electricity for irrigation in addition to produce 15 percent more Boro rice per hectare of land,” he said.
He suggested for crop zoning to cultivate more irrigation water consuming crops in southern zones while less water consuming crops in drought-prone northern zones to reap more benefits as the agriculture sector is facing water crisis.
The chief guest stressed on expanded adoption of AWD irrigation technology in farming Boro rice to produce additional rice at reduced costs saving huge underground water amid adverse impacts of climate change.