Sleman develops healthy rice farming using environmentally friendly irrigation

The Ngudi Mulyo Farmers’ Group in Jirak hamlet, Bokoharjo village, Sleman regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, is developing healthy rice cultivation using an environmentally friendly irrigation system, known as Siramli, to increase yields.

Sleman Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Agency head Liem Astuti said in Sleman on Sunday that she highly appreciated the group’s achievements and its consistent use of environmentally friendly farming practices in the area.

“The Ngudi Mulyo Farmers’ Group in Jirak, Bokoharjo, Prambanan, has not only successfully held the wiwitan ceremony and harvested rice, but has also won first place across Yogyakarta in the SIRAMLI, or Environmentally Friendly Irrigation System, competition,” Liem said.

She explained that the wiwitan ceremony and rice harvest were an important opportunity to demonstrate local farmers’ success in managing the agricultural sector independently and sustainably.

The healthy-crop cultivation method focuses on reducing synthetic chemicals and making optimal use of natural ecosystems to nourish the rice plants.

Crop-cutting test results from the site showed that the farmers’ hard work in Jirak had produced a very strong yield, above the general average. The harvested dry paddy yield reached 9.76 tonnes per hectare.

The group’s yield of milled dry paddy was recorded at 7.84 tonnes per hectare.

In addition to the quantity of the harvest, Liem emphasised that the cultivation system also directly affects the quality of the final product.

Rice grown on the 12.5-hectare plot is processed into healthy rice, which is highly nutritious and safer for consumers’ long-term health.

“Following the success of the Ngudi Mulyo Farmers’ Group, the Sleman Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Agency hopes that good practices in healthy crop cultivation and environmentally friendly irrigation management will be replicated by other farmers’ groups throughout Sleman regency,” she said.