1. Training
on
Increase Agricultural Production through IWRM
CATALYSThelps to Unlock Your Potential
An Institution for Training ,Research and Teaching
Sub: Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) Method
Presenter; Md. Nazim Uddin Mondal, M.Sc. UK. PGT. China and
India,

2. WELCOME

3. How much water do people use ?
Liters of water
Daily drinking water 2-5 liters of water
Daily household use 20-500 liters of water
1 Kg of Rice 3000-5000 liters of
water input to the field

4. Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)
Method
Background
Boro rice in Bangladesh, whether HYV or traditional
varieties covering more than 4.09 million ha, is entirely
irrigated, mostly with underground water. Because of
increasing cost of fuel, irrigation has become a very
costly input in rice production. Farmers pay about 25-
30% of the rice outlet for irrigation. For producing 1 kg of
paddy, it is estimated that a farmer has to use 3,000-
5,000 liters of water for keeping ponded water during the
growing stage of plants. Therefore, farmers irrigate quite
frequently and keep the field flooded all the times.

5. Hydrological cycle of water in rice field

6. .
Transplanted rice in the wet land culture field

7. mm/day Season (100day)mm
Land preparation 175-750
Evapotranaspiration
-wet season
-Dry season
4-5
6-7
30% E, 70% T
400-500
600-700
Seepage & Percolation
-Heavy clays
-Loam/sandy soils
1-5
25-30
100-500
2500-3000
Total season
Typical- 1500mm
675-4450mm
Water requirement in lowland rice

8. Background (cont)
International Rice Research Institute conducted
research on reducing frequency of irrigation. Recent
research at IRRI demonstrated that ponded water all
the time in rice field is not necessary. A simple device
has been designed to observe water level in the ground
to decide on the time of irrigation. It involves installation
of a perforated water tube in the field to allow
observation of water table. Irrigation is provided when
the water table reaches 15 cm below the surface. With
the use of this device, irrigation frequency can be
brought down by 30-50% of traditional irrigation
practice without affecting yield

9. AWD pipe perforated 15 cm and un perforated 5cm

10. AWD pipe in rice field

11. .
Tensiometer

12. Background (cont)
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation
has also tested this technology during 2006 boro
season in Madhupur farm successfully. Only 4
irrigations were needed as against 8 irrigations.
During 2007 boro season, 5 irrigations were
needed following the new practice as compared
to 9 irrigations as per conventional practice.
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and Rural
Development Academy, Bogra are conducting
research on this technique, with technical
assistance from IRRI, for validation and scaling
up.

13. Background (cont)
The technology has far reaching implication
apart from direct cost-savings for the farmers.
It will save burning of imported diesel fuel,
which in turn will save money for the nation. It
will also greatly reduce over-pumping of
ground water and, therefore, reduce ground
water depletion. All these benefits will have
positive impact on the environment and
natural resources conservation

14. Monitoring water level in the rice field

15. Method
Boro rice in Bangladesh is fully irrigated and the
aman rice is partly irrigated. An estimated 3,000
to 5,000 litres of water is required to produce
one kilogram of rice. Recent research at IRRI
has proven that using Alternate Wetting and
Drying (AWD), about 15-30%, if not more, could
be saved without reduction in yield. Starting from
about 15 days after transplanting, irrigate until
the water table goes 15 cm below the ground
level.

16. Water is there in root zone

17. Keep 5cm flooded water at flowering

18. Method (Cont)
A PVC pipe with 7-10cm diameter and 25 cm
long with 15 cm perforation (picture below) is
used. Plastic water bottle, bamboo or earthen
pipe can be used to manufacture a AWD
pipe. Dig a 15 cm deep hole in the rice field
and install a perforated plastic pipe to monitor
the level of the water table after each
irrigation. The instillation can be done by
pressing the PVC pipe down to the soil if the
soil is soft enough. In this case the soil inside
the pipe should be thrown away.

19. Installation of AWD Pipe in Rice field

20. Method
(Continued)
In one bigha of land one pipe is enough placing
the pipe in a easy going level area of the plot. To
monitor we have to observe the water level goes
down to the bottom of the pipe. When the water
is at the bottom of the pipe we have to apply
irrigation for 5-7 cm standing water. Continue
the practice until flowering starts. Keep 2-4 cm
standing water from flowering to dough stage.

21. Method
(Continued
. This is now being valided in Bangladesh by
BRRI, BADC, BMDA and other
partners. The savings of irrigation water will
have impact on environment because of
reduced withdrawal of ground water, reduction
in burning diesel. This may also reduce
arsenic contamination in rice grain and straw.

22. Main idea to convey:
• • Water is there even when you can’t see it
• Create confidence by farmers
• Farmers then to experiment with
threshold value
• No recipe for soil type, hydrology, variety.

24. Final Remarks:
• AWD already existed for long time
• The water tube: pivotal role in
dissemination
• In BD: 10% reduction in water means
reducing 40 L of gasoline/ha. If only half of
boro rice area apply AWD, we can save 80
ML of gasoline
• AWD also reduces Arsenic in the soil and
plant