Japanese Technology Tests Paddy Field Water Efficiency in Pariaman, West Sumatra

Paddy fields in Air Santok Village, East Pariaman Subdistrict, Pariaman City, West Sumatra, have become the site for research on implementing Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology through a collaboration between a Japanese company and academics.

Pariaman Deputy Mayor Mulyadi stated that the research involves Japanese company Archeda Co. alongside Andalas University (Unand) as an effort to improve water use efficiency in rice crops.

“With the AWD method, it will be able to reduce water usage by up to 20 percent without reducing rice productivity,” he said in Pariaman on Wednesday.

He explained that although water is a primary need for rice plants, the assumption that paddy fields must always be flooded is not entirely correct, as it can actually hinder root respiration in the rice.

According to him, such practices not only risk wasting water but also increase greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields, which is not in line with the concept of sustainable agriculture.

However, through the AWD method, farmers can regulate water application more precisely so that the plants continue to grow optimally even under limited water conditions.

He added that the presence of the Japanese company and academics from Andalas University provides an opportunity for local farmers to absorb new knowledge related to farming techniques, particularly the implementation of the AWD method.

In the research stages, a comprehensive study will be conducted on technical, environmental, and economic aspects before the method is widely applied in rice planting.

“I hope the results will be abundant and productivity will increase, thereby improving the farmers’ economy,” he said.

Separately, the Head of the Pariaman City Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries Office, Marlina Sepa, stated that the research site is on land owned by the Santok Indah Farmer Group.

“The farmer group has approximately 24 hectares of paddy fields, with 12 hectares of that area used for research observation,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Air Santok Village, Edison, mentioned that the farmer group is active in collaborating with various parties, including universities, which is the main reason the area was chosen as the research location.

“I hope this activity continues to be guided by Unand to increase our farmers’ harvest yields and improve the welfare of our farmers in this village,” he added.