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Promoting Alternate Wetting and Drying (awd) Method in Selected Locations at Sadar Upazilla of Kushtia

Debjit Roy
Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI Regional Station, Kushtia

M. Abdus Sattar
Chief Scientific Officer & Head
Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI, Gazipur

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

This paper will in Paper Meet -2009 of the Agricultural Engineering Division, The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh with the general objectives of water saving by adopting AWD water management technology for rice irrigation compare to conventional water management practice followed by farmer. Worldwide, water for agriculture is getting increasingly scarce. By 2025, 15-20 million hectares of irrigated rice may suffer water scarcity. Interventions to respond to water scarcity are called "water-savings" and imply a reduced use of irrigation water. Alternate Wetting and Drying is a water-saving technology that lowland (paddy) rice farmers can apply to reduce their water use in irrigated fields. Alternate wetting and drying method is now a matured water saving technology to use irrigation water efficiently and economically. The present study was conducted to introduce AWD method with the farmers of Boria and Bot-toil villages, Sadar upazilla, Kushtia in the consecutive year 2008 and 2009. The aims of the study were validating and disseminating AWD practice among the farmers and motivate them to use it by demonstrating benefits of the method. Farmers of the study sites were introduced with AWD method by training. Nine farmers' plots for demonstrating AWD method and thirty observational farmers' plot using conventional irrigation practice were selected under three different shallow tubewells in each year at Boria and Bot-toil villages, respectively. AWD practice was started after 15 days of transplanting and continued till maturity except flowering stage. All related data were collected by extensive field monitoring. AWD practice saved 5 numbers of irrigation and 36-38 percent irrigation water. Also it saved 43-47 percent fuel and reduced irrigation cost by 15-20 percent. The water productivity was always higher for AWD practice over conventional practice. Economically it was found beneficial and sustainable for this region. Farmers were encouraged and inspired to use this technology in future.

Keywords: AWD method, Irrigation, Water management

Location: Sadar upazilla, Kushtia

Start Date: 01-01-2008

End Date: 30-06-2009

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Water management

Objectives:

i) To introduce the farmers with Alternate wetting and drying method,

ii) To validate AWD method in the field and demonstrate benefits of the method,

iii) To encourage farmers about adoption and dissemination of AWD method through training.

Methodology:

Three different tubewells during every year of 2008 and 2009 at Boria and Bot-toil villages in Sadar upazilla of Kushtia district were selected to conduct the study. Nine farmers at Boria village in the year 2008 and another nine farmers at Bot-toil village in the year 2009 having one bigha land each under three different shallow tubewells were taken as demonstration plots where irrigation was applied using AWD method. Beside this, thirty farmers' plots in each year were marked as observation plot where farmers applied their conventional irrigation practice for rice production. Irrigation water was applied form two source ground water and surface water. Most portion of the rice irrigation water was supplied from shallow tubewells. G-K surface irrigation water was arrived later part of the rice growth span. All farmers under AWD practice and conventional practice of the selected sites and Sub Assistant Agricultural Officers of the respective areas were introduced with Alternate Wetting and Drying method for irrigation in rice cultivation during trainings in both years. The training was given in each year before starting Boro season. Resource personnel and water management specialists from BRRI and DAE delivered lectures on details of Alternate Wetting and Drying method in those day long trainings. Also field demonstration of perforated PVC pipe, the simple water level measuring tool for AWD method, setup was shown to the farmers during training session. Fifteen days after transplanting of rice in field, 30 cm long and 10cm diameter perforated PVC pipes, also know as water tube used in AWD method, were supplied among the farmers and set up in the filed. The water tubes were placed in a relatively flat part of the field close to the bund to monitor ponded water depth easily. In the demonstration plots, irrigation application was strictly monitored. Irrigation was only applied when water level in water tube went below 15cm from ground surface. Irrigation application by AWD method was stopped during flowering stage. At this growth stage, standing water was maintained in the rice filed. Then AWD irrigation was started again and continued till ripening stage. After that, water was drained out from the field. Water levels in PVC water tubes were monitored and those data were recorded everyday. This data collection was started just after the water tube setup in the field and continued till crop cut. Both demonstration and observation plots data were taken simultaneously. Rainfall data during this period was collected from Department of Agricultural Extension, Kushtia district office. Beside this, dates of seeding, transplanting, flowering, maturity; rate, application rates and dates related to different intercultural operations like fertilizer, pesticide, weeding; labour numbers and wages required for irrigation purpose; different agronomic and yield data; production income and profit of these plots were collected time to time. Different irrigation related data such as pump discharge, operation hour, fuel consumption and cost, amount of water applied during irrigation and required time, irrigation number, irrigation cost were also collected by extensive field monitoring. The amount of G-K irrigation project supplied water was monitored and recorded.

Source of Information: JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING, IEB, VOL. 37/AE,Pp: 39-48, DECEMBER, 2009

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The study was carried out to introduce Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method as a new water saving technique for rice irrigation with the farmers of Kushtia. The study was conducted in Boro seasons of two consecutive years in two different sites with the aim of validation and dissemination of AWD technology among the farmers. To motivate the farmers, trainings on AWD technology were given and demonstrations of the technology were set up in the study sites. At least 5 numbers of irrigation and 36-38 percent of irrigation water can be saved by applying this technology than that of conventional irrigation practice. This practice can also save 43-47 percent of fuel and can reduce irrigation cost by 15-20 percent. The water productivity is always higher in AWD practice than that of conventional practice and it also increase crop yield. Economically it is beneficial and sustainable technology for farmers' of this region as it is a moderate drought prone area and water is not always available during dry season. Considering water scarcity during dry months, price hike of fuel and agricultural commodities and understanding all the benefits of AWD method, farmers of this region show keen interest about this method and they are now encouraged to practice AWD method in coming years.

Knowledge Management: Journal