Q. Why is this in News?
A. Recently, the state of Punjab was unable to achieve its target in the water-saving method (direct-seeded rice).
Q. What is Direct Seeded Rice (DSR)?
A.
- Direct Seeded Rice(DSR), also known as the 'broadcasting seed technique,' is a water-saving method of sowing paddy.
- In this method, seeds are directly drilled into the fields. In contrast to the traditional water-intensive method of transplanting rice seedlings from a nursery to waterlogged fields, this method saves groundwater.
- There is no nursery preparation or transplantation involved in this method.
- Farmers have to only level their land and give one pre-sowing irrigation.
Q. What are the Advantages of DSR?
A.
- Require Less Number of Labours:
- DSR can solve labour shortage problems because like the traditional method it does not require a paddy nursery and transplantation of 30 days old paddy nursery into the main puddled field.
- Avenues for Groundwater:
- It offers avenues for ground water recharge as it prevents the development of hard crust just beneath the plough layer due to puddled transplanting.
- It matures 7-10 days earlier than the puddle transplanted crop, therefore giving more time for management of paddy straw.
- Increase in Yield:
- According to the results from research trials and farmers’ field survey, after this technique the yield is one to two quintals per acre higher than puddled transplanted rice.
Q. What are the Major Issues Related to DSR?
A.
- Extreme climate:
- High temperatures and deficient rainfall are mainly to blame.
- The temperature was in the range of 47-48 degrees Celsius on some days, whereas the ideal temperature is 42-43°C during the period.
- Farmers were hesitant to choose DSR because their wheat crops had already suffered as a result of the heat wave.
- Reluctance by Farmers:
- Due to a lack of support from the government in the form of providing a good variety of weeds, and unable to supply uninterrupted electricity during the sowing season of DSR that’s why farmers found it very difficult to irrigate the field using an electric motor.
- Governance issues:
- Punjab Government's uninterrupted electricity supply for puddling season which begins in mid-June is not beneficial for DSR as its sowing season is between early May to mid-June and that’s why it is beneficial for the traditional method.
- Other challenges:
- It includes closed canals, erratic electricity supply for operating tube wells for irrigation, and issues of weeds and rats.
- Water availability was a challenge due to deficient to no rainfall in many parts of the state of Punjab during May.
Q. What is the Way Forward?
A.
- The need of the hour is to get proper feedback and a grievance redressal programme by the government.
- Need Weed management to enhance harvesting crops in DSR, as poor quality of weedicides distributed by the government.
- Leverage technology and work on innovative solutions to promote the DSR method, as it requires less water than the traditional method, which could also help in tackling water stress and groundwater in the region.
