Enhancing Rice Productivity through Sustainable Water Management Practices

Abstract

One of the largest users of freshwater is rice cultivation, yet conventional continuous flooding techniques are becoming less viable due to climate change and increased water constraints. Innovative irrigation methods like aerobic rice systems (ARS), Saturated soil culture (SSC), intermittent flooding, and alternating wetting and drying (AWD) are being investigated to address this issue. These techniques aid with water conservation without appreciably lowering production. SSC is a cutting-edge irrigation method that creates farming beds divided by furrows with shallow water, mid-season drainage, delayed flooding, sprinkling irrigation, and alternate soaking and drying of fields are further methods to cut down on water use. Similarly, AWD allows the water level to fall below the soil surface in between irrigation events by alternating periods of irrigation and non-flooding. Moreover, it was found that periodic flooding can reduce water use by up to 45%, while AWD can reduce it by 7% to 33%. Intermittent flooding results in 45% water savings, SWP results in 15% less water use than AWD, intermittent irrigation leads to 22%–76% less irrigation water use and 56% less runoff. Moreover, saturation irrigation results in 27% water savings. However, because of institutional, technical, and financial obstacles, many farmers are hesitant to implement them. Wider adoption can be promoted by increasing knowledge, providing financial incentives, and putting supportive policies into place. Long-term food security and the preservation of priceless water resources for future generations depend on adopting these water-saving measures.