Innovative water management techniques revolutionizing Sri Lanka’s paddy cultivation
Daily FT: For centuries, rice has been the heartbeat of Sri Lankan agriculture, with over 1 million hectares of paddy fields cultivated annually, accounting for 37% of the country’s land use. But as climate change accelerates, the task of managing water resources, especially for paddy, has become ever more challenging.
The Green Climate Fund-financed Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP) is responding to this challenge with an innovative solution – Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). The project, implemented by the Government of Sri Lanka, with technical support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, is transforming agricultural productivity, through integrated water management.
Paddy fields have long been cultivated under the continuous flooding system, consuming around 2,500 litres of water to produce just 1 kilogram of rice, placing immense pressure on water resources, especially during periods of drought.
Data from the project shows that through AWD, water usage is reduced by up to 27%, and increased cropping intensity from 1.2 to 2.1, which means farmers can now cultivate their land more frequently, leading to more harvests, more income, and food security.
The success of this initiative is not just about introducing technology; it is about empowering Sri Lankan farmers with knowledge. The CRIWMP has worked closely with farming communities, providing them with training, tools, and climate advisory services to adopt the AWD system effectively.
Take for example, the case of the Palugaswewa Farmer Organisation. President R.B.M. Anura Wasantha shared that, prior to the project’s intervention, they could only cultivate their land to its full extent during the Maha (major) season and just a fraction during the Yala (minor) season.
The introduction of AWD technology has been a game-changer. Using simple tools like water pipes buried in the soil, farmers learned to monitor water levels and irrigate only when necessary. Agro-metrological advisories helped synchronise rainwater with their irrigation needs, ensuring that tank water is preserved for critical periods.
“Earlier, we used tank water for land preparation without understanding ‘on-farm and off-farm’ water management and were not familiar with agro-meteorological advisories either. Now, thanks to the depth gauge that has been installed, we can calculate the tank water levels accurately and follow the advisories to make better use of rainwater, conserving a big proportion of the irrigation water in the tank.”
“Now, we save the water in our tanks – it is like saving money in a bank for us,” says Wasantha, who proudly states that this practice has allowed them to cultivate their land fully even during the Yala season.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s agriculture industry is on a steady growth path with an increase in demand in-line with the overall expansion of the country’s economy. The increasing demand in the local agriculture industry covers two sectors – consumption crop sector and the export crop sector. All these developments have resulted in an increase in business/investment opportunities in the agriculture industry. These opportunities cover multiple sectors in the local agriculture industry that range from providing expertise and latest technologies to supplying seeds and machinery required by the expanding industry. With Sri Lanka working towards becoming a regional hub while expanding its export markets, the business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s agriculture industry will witness a steady growth. It would also present lucrative opportunities for foreign businesses/investors exploring opportunities in Sri Lanka. The growth and expansion of local businesses in the agriculture industry is a firm indication of the increasing business potential in the country’s agriculture industry.
Article Code : | VBS/AT/20241224/Z_3 |