Farmers tell their stories: Laser leveling of rice fields in Southeast Asia
Channel: International Rice Research Institute
Date: 2012-09-11

Also see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXnQNf_ydg&feature=share&list=PL59BE77F7B94D2BA3 and "Farmers got talent" at http://irri.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=12346:farmers-got-talent&lang=en

Traditionally, most farmers in Asia use draft animals and two-wheel tractors that drag harrows and leveling boards across the flooded fields to level their land. However, laser leveling in rice fields prior to planting is slowly emerging as a farming practice alternative to traditional leveling in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia.

This video explains the concept of laser leveling and its benefits, as shared by Vietnamese farmers who have tried and adopted laser leveling in their rice fields. The video also shows the current efforts of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI; http://irri.org ) in working with national partners and donors (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation - http://www.sdc.admin.ch - and Asian Development Bank - http://www.sdc.admin.ch ) to promote the technology in Cambodia.