A farmer from Tirupur district has been selected for 'Innovative rice farmer award' for the year 2015 by the Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, for large-scale adoption of drip irrigation.
M Parthasarathy from Govindapuram village in Tirupur district was selected among 30 farmers from 16 states who were nominated for this award.
The rice innovative farmer award is given to one who has developed innovative product/practice which has potential for wider adoption in rice cultivation.
Parthasarathy was awarded for large-scale adoption of drip irrigation in rice in Amaravathy sub-basin in the state.
The award, carrying a citation, was received by his son at the 'Innovative Rice Farmers Meet-2015 at the Institute on August 29 from Union Minister for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya in the presence of B J Pandian,Director, Water Technology Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, who guided Parthasarathy.
Govindapuram village was brought under Micro Irrigation under a World Bank funded Project - Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water Bodies Restoration and Management Project (TN-IAMWARM).
Growing rice under drip irrigation is a new concept tested by Water Technology Centre and promoted for adoption. But the adoption of the drip system for rice crop alone may be uneconomical, Pandian said in a relase today.
Parthasarathy introduced drip irrigation for rice in a cropping system approach, with support from drip system by the University for onion. He cultivated onion in April-June, raised maize in July-September and cultivated rice by using the same drip system in October-February.
He and 11 farmers cultivated CR1009 under direct sowing under drip in 2013 and during 2014, 23 farmers cultivated COR51 in drip system and on an average, they achieved 6 -7. 5 tonnes per hectare yield under drip irrigation.
Introduction of drip irrigation for rice is more economical under cropping system approach and could be widely propagated wherever rice is being cultivated under well irrigation sources where ground water categories classified as over exploited and exploited categories.
"Govindapuram has proved to the nation that under limited water condition, three crops in a year, including rice (Onion-Maize-rice) could be grown more successfully under drip irrigation," Pandian said.
