WateRice
Water-efficient and risk-mitigation technologies for enhancing rice production in irrigated and rainfed environments
Water is a vital component for a successful and sustainable rice production. Any shortfall in water supply can affect agricultural and economic growth, quality of life and the social stability of the country. Along with these challenges, the water scarcity also bring secondary issues. When water is scarce, weeds become another problem for farmers. Weeds directly compete with crops for water. It is even more pronounced in rainfed areas that constantly struggle with water shortage because of lack of irrigation.
WateRice is a research and development project funded through a collaboration between the Philippine Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhiRice), and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
The project’s goals are to develop information and communication technology (ICT)- and Internet of Things (IoT)-based tools for improving decision making on water and weed management, recommend best practices for rainfed environments, and introduce mechanization for land leveling and planting to improve water-use efficiency.
