China and India are actively introducing direct sowing of rice

China National Agricultural Technology Extension Center announces the launch of the first unmanned rice farm in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. On March 26, an unmanned rice farm went into operation at the Yinong Agricultural Machinery Cooperative in Gangbei District, Guigang City. The unmanned rice farm technology features precise operation of the smart agriculture function, allowing plowing, planting, tending and harvesting of rice without human intervention.

Innovative technologies and equipment for an unmanned rice farm were successfully developed by the team of academician Luo Xiwen from South China Agricultural University. He created a practical plan based on the direct rice planting model and an intelligent drainage and irrigation management system with remote control. This allows unmanned operations in fields at all stages of plowing, planting, plant management and harvesting.

The benefits of direct rice planting include saving time and effort, reducing labor and costs, and stabilizing production. Thanks to digital technologies, farmers can monitor the condition of crops on an unmanned farm, which ensures the efficiency of the production process. Overall, in Gangbei District, the level of comprehensive mechanization of rice production, cultivation and harvesting was 93.09%, indicating almost complete mechanization of rice production.

India is also exploring a move to direct planting of rice to increase efficiency and save resources. The partnership between SBI Foundation, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Indian Rice Research Institute aims to introduce direct planting of rice in Indian agricultural landscapes. Direct planting of rice helps reduce water use, facilitates mechanization and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which is important for combating climate change.