No water to waste

By 2025, some 22 million ha of irrigated rice areas in Asia may face “economic water scarcity” as supplies for irrigation become too expensive for rice farmers.  An additional 17 million ha may confront "physical water scarcity" as supplies for irrigation simply dry up.  If farmers are going to maintain, let alone increase, their harvests and incomes, they need new water-saving technologies that make the most of every drop.

Preparing for the looming water crisis by bringing field-level water-saving technologies to farmers

Is this the future for rice production...

Growing rice takes a lot of water — 3,000-5,000 L per kg.  In other words, the water needed to grow one ton (about 20 sacks) of rice would fill 1 or 2  Olympic-sized swimming pools.  Worldwide, 80% of developed water supplies go to irrigation, and in Asia more than half of that is used to grow rice.  As declining water availability in many places appears to threaten the sustainability of irrigated rice farming, safeguarding food security and alleviating poverty demands the development and adoption of water-saving alternatives to traditional farming techniques. More…

Zeroing in on farmers' needs

At three sites in Tarlac in the Philippines, scientists, farmers and other local stakeholders worked together to identify farmers' needs and problems — and potential solutions. More...

Making rice farmers water-smart

Pilot sites called "lighthouses" help rice farmers in the Philippines navigate opportunities for saving water offered by new technologies. More...

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News Archive
Successful aerobic rice  in China
International Platform for Saving Water in Rice (IPSWAR)
IRRC's Collaborative work featured in Manila Bulletin
Wang Huagi appointed as new Chairman

Successful water-wise rice production workshop