RANGPUR, March 22, 2025 (BSS) – Experts have suggested adopting alternative drying and wetting (AWD) irrigation technology during Boro rice cultivation to save at least 30 percent of irrigation water and reduce pressure on groundwater.
 

The future of agriculture and national and global food security depend on availability of wateramid a formidable threat of climate change.
 
Under such realities, lifting of underground water must be reduced to the minimum and food production be kept growing adopting the AWD technology to meet food demand of the increasing population.
 
Talking to BSS, rice scientist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got Independence Award 2018 Medal (food security), said that large-scale adoption of the simplest AWD technology has been proved to be effective in coping with scarcity of irrigation water.
 
Adoption of the AWD technology can reduce five numbers of irrigation, save minimum 30 percent underground water, 30 litres diesel and electricity for irrigation in addition to producing 500 kg more Boro rice per hectare bringing uncountable benefits.
 
"The farmers have started reaping benefits of the AWD technology following its dissemination to them by different agriculture related organisations," said Dr Mazid, also a former Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
 
"If the AWD method was adopted for farming Boro rice in 50-lakh hectares of land in the country, 25 lakh tonnes additional paddy worth Taka 8,000 crore would be produced annually along with saving Taka 1,000 crore for less use of diesel and electricity," he said.
 
Dr Mazid said, "Farmers generally use 3,000 to 4,000 litres irrigated underground waters to produce one kg Boro rice, whereas it needs only 1,500 to 2,000 litres when the AWD irrigation technology is used."
 
Narrating the simplest technology, he said, "The AWD irrigation method determines irrigation times in growing Boro rice fields and requires only a 7 to 10-cm diameter and 25-cm long PVC pipe or hollow bamboo pieces or waste bottles of cold drinks."
 
Fifteen cm on one side of the pipe is perforated for horizontal movement of water and it is to be installed vertically with its perforated portion under the ground level and the soil within it is to be scooped out to make the soil at the pipe's lower end visible.
 
"The farmers should irrigate Boro fields in such a way that water does not overtop the imperforated portion, watch leaching down of water through the pipe and irrigate when soil at bottom of the pipe is visible with no water standing on soil hat," he added.
 
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Afzal Hossain said the AWD irrigation technology started becoming popular among farmers in all five districts of Rangpur agriculture region.

"Boro rice has been cultivated in a total of 5,09,056 hectares of land in Rangpur region this season. Of which, 1,01,811 hectares of land will be brought under the AWD irrigation technology,” Hossain added.
 
Md Mamunur Rashid, PhD Fellow at the Department of Agricultural Extension of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University in Dinajpur, said adoption of the AWD irrigation technology has become a need of the time amid changing climate.

 “Farmers can be befitted using the AWD technology for reduced irrigation frequencies, improved water use efficiency, less use of diesel, electricity and increased rice yield,” said Rashid, also former Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh.