Just how unusual is this? Very unusual, when you consider that
irrigated agriculture in Mardi's rice engineering division has
been growing the padi on an experimental basis at its centre in
Seberang Prai, in the sugar cane growing region of Perlis and in
the tobacco growing part of Kelantan. And it's a crucial move at
a time when water catchment areas are dwindling and there is
irregular rainfall for storage, says Yusoff. Furthermore,
irrigation facilities are very expensive to build and maintain.
Increased competition for water from growing industry and an
expanding population only adds urgency to the project. So, one
way to save water is through aerobic rice cultivation -- where
rice is grown as a dry field crop rather than in flooded fields.
"Besides, water resource is going to be vulnerable with climatic
change. Crop adaptation to limited water or too much water needs
to be looked into," says Yusoff, who heads Mardi's Strategic
Resource Research Centre. The centre focuses on climate change
and on adapting