Thailand will apply rice growing technology during drought

(Baonghean.vn) - Faced with increasingly unpredictable climate change, especially the severe drought caused by the El Nino effect, the Thai government is looking for ways to cope with the 17% decrease in rice production in 2016, which directly threatens national and global food security.

Applying technology in agricultural activities to cope with climate change.

The Thai government is looking to adopt technology in rice production, even during droughts. Researchers in Texas, USA have built an automated irrigation system that operates water plants based on soil sensors to determine how dry the environment is.

This would have two-fold benefits: first, the system would ensure that rice fields receive adequate water, and second, by supplying water only when needed, it would save costs and avoid flooding.

The automated irrigation system in the Smart Control program has shown that it can significantly improve energy efficiency and reduce water consumption, ensuring that operating costs remain low and reasonable.

Another advantage of the program is the reduction of human dependence, especially during peak hours, through the use of automatic watering systems.

Today, sensor systems can easily be implemented to detect when crops need watering. Modern sensors can be deployed to calculate moisture content with an accuracy of 3%, ensuring good control and precise monitoring of soil conditions.

Inputs can be fed into a temperature controller, or data can be received from temperature sensors to keep humidity at optimum levels. The calculated results can then be fed into a pre-programmed sprinkler control system to dispense the correct amount of water to the plants.

Perhaps in the future, we will see farms in Thailand with automated systems that will address climate change issues and contribute to improving rice yields for the country and the world.

Thanh Hien

(According to Omron)