Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), a water-saving technology promoted by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), has helped Manny Valdez, a 50-year-old farmer from Mamburao, Oriental Mindoro, reduce his irrigation costs by 30% while increasing his yields.
AWD uses observation wells to monitor water levels, allowing farmers to irrigate only when necessary, based on the cropping season.
Since adopting AWD in 2021, Valdez has saved around P900 per cycle by minimizing his use of diesel for irrigation.
“Before using AWD, I needed 60L of diesel to run a water pump continuously for three days and nights to irrigate my 3-ha farm. At the current fuel price of around P55 per liter, that cost me over P3,000 per cycle. With AWD, I don’t need to buy as much diesel now, and the fields remain properly irrigated, especially during critical growth stages,” Valdez explained.
AWD has also helped increase Valdez’s yields. His harvest improved from an average of 2.5/ha to 3.3t/ha.
“This technology not only eased my financial burden but also helped me manage my farm better, even during challenging seasons,” Valdez said, encouraging fellow farmers to try AWD.
