Impact of Traditional and BIMAS Oriented Practice of Paddy Rice Cropping on Water Environment

Abstract

In Indonesia, some developing program for agricultural production had been promoted nevertheless still some farmers prefer their traditional paddy farming. This research was conducted to investigate effects of two different types of agricultural practices on surrounding water environment. Field survey was conducted at west Java in 2003. An traditional organic farming site, in Leuwiliang, was hilly and relatively small scale farming. Another site in Darmaga, they use chemical fertilizers and agricultural chemicals. It was medium-size paddy fields in moderately flat area. Water quality and soil properties were analyzed in those paddy fields during rice cropping season. In Leuwiliang, because of insects damage, farmers harvested rice earlier than the best timing and the production of year 2003 was less than the usual. In Darmaga site, there were another problem in 2003. In order to control mud snail outbreak farmers stopped irrigation earlier than the average year. Data collected from those paddy fields suggested some characteristic environmental effect. In Leuwiliang the impact of paddy fields on water environments was little. In general, the nutrients balances on inflow, paddy fields and outflow on both site were neutral. And during beginning of growth stage the nutrients is used for their growth so the nutrients out charge were less than the income, but in stages, the nutrients amount of inlet and outlet were similar. In Darmaga, Ca, Mg, P and N from inlet and outlet water were higher than those of Leuwiliang.