By: Jessica Robertson
Perhaps the most urgent of
challenges arising from climate change is making agriculture sustainable. In
coming years, edible resources will be more important than ever with the
growing world population. One of the main staples worldwide is rice, and, at
the 3rd annual LEGATO Conference (Land-use Intensity and Ecological
Engineering – Assessment Tools for Risks and Opportunities in Irrigated Rice
Based Production Systems), questions were addressed regarding sustainability,
productivity, and diversification in the Southeast Asia rice ecosystems.
One of the
most discussed subjects at this year’s conference was the use of silicon (Si)
as an enhancement for rice plants, being able to strengthen the plants, improve
their immunity to disease and ability to utilize fertilizers, and block the
uptake of toxic metal. In case studies from the Philippines, where levels of Si
in the soil are higher compared to soil in Vietnam, these beneficial
characteristics were observed. Farmers who burn rice straw and apply the ash to
the field typically find higher Si levels in their soil, while farmers who
export the ash do not reap the benefits of silicon-rich soil. Educating farmers
about the benefits of silicon and methods of introducing it to their crops could
help increase the sustainability of the rice industry.
The
conference group also discussed topics like natural pest control, biodiversity,
education in restoration of landscape biodiversity through entertainment, and
the abuse of pesticides.
However, one
crucial topic that was not addressed at this year’s conference was water
conservation. Water conservation is one challenge that remains higher in
importance than sustainable agriculture in the face of today’s environmental
issues. On average, it takes 2,500 liters of water to produce just 1 kilogram
of rice. With rice being one of the world’s most popular staples, in order to
increase its sustainability, the water use issue must be addressed. Hopefully,
that will be one topic on the list for next year’s LEGATO conference. Until
then, hopefully these proposed changes will be jumpstarting sustainability in
the rice fields of the world.
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