Project News

Farmers in Maliana I have started to implement line transplanting introduced by the Project in their paddy fields for this second cropping season.

In the past, most farmers in Maliana I utilized random transplanting in their paddy fields, while there were only small percentage of farmers who applied the line transplanting in their paddy fields with limited knowledge about the technique.

For those farmers, weeding has been a major issue and some of them used herbicide as an easiest shortcut to eliminate the weed from their paddy fields. In addition, labour cost and consumption of a lot of times have been also common issues during the transplanting period.

To help the farmers address the issues above, the Project has started to introduce them the line transplanting in Maliana I through Comparative Cropping of random and line transplantings which aims at increasing farmers' knowledge about the line transplanting and the real benefits of it particularly to increase their yields and help them to effectively control the weed in their paddy fields by using a Push Weeder. The farmers who implemented the line transplanting were thankful for the project efforts to apply the Comparative Cropping in their paddy fields and they are curiously waiting for the harvesting outcome in the next three months before fully implementing it in their paddy fields for the next cropping.

Maria da Costa (45), a farmer from Odomau Village was eager to implement the line transplanting in her seven plots after being taught by the project monitoring staff how to use a Line Marker. According to her, the line transplanting by using the line marker was more practical and time-effective compared to the one she applied in the past.

Mariano dos Santos (20), another farmer from Ritabou Village, said that he is curious about the outcome of the Comparative Cropping since it was first time for him to apply the line transplanting in his paddy field. He was impressed with the Push Weeder introduced by the Project as in the past he struggled to remove the weed in his paddy field, using his hands and it took him more than two weeks to get the job done.

Mr. Odashima, Project Expert on Rice Cultivation Techniques expected that the farmers who applied the Comparative Cropping in their paddy fields in this season will see the real benefits of the line transplanting and fully implement it in the next cropping to help them increase their productivity. He also said that the Project will continue to closely observe the progress of the Comparative Cropping and provide technical advice to the farmers throughout the cultivation process until the harvesting time.

So far the Project has implemented the Comparative Cropping in four paddy fields out of 39 for this second cropping. Since the transplanting period has just began in Maliana I, the Project will continue its activity by visiting more farmers' paddy fields in the next coming weeks.

Mr. Odashima and a Project Monitoring Staff teaching farmers on using the Line Marker.

Mr. Odashima and a Project Monitoring Staff teaching farmers on using the Line Marker.

Farmers and their family members start the line transplanting after the paddy field was marked by using the Line Marker.

Farmers and their family members start the line transplanting after the paddy field was marked by using the Line Marker.

Mr. Odashima showing farmers on using the Push Weeder.

Project Staff advising farmers on the next step to be taken after removing the weed from their paddy fields.

Current landscape in Maliana I.

Current landscape in Maliana I.