Bali: The Rice Island

Key Points Summary

• Rice Introduction and Importance

  • Brought to Java by the Malays around 1500 CE.
  • Staple food for about 240 million Indonesians.
  • Thrives in hot weather, monsoons, and fertile soils.

• Green Revolution

  • Boom of the 1970s made Indonesia self-sufficient in rice by 1984.
  • Modern paddy rice yields about 2.5 tons per hectare.

• Traditional vs. Modern Methods

  • Balinese rice farming is way more labor-intensive than what you see in developed countries like Australia.

Bali Rice Production

• Geographical Context

  • Bali: a small island located at 8°S and 115°E, with rice as its main crop.
  • For Balinese Hindus, rice is seen as a divine gift.

• Cultural Practices

  • Holy water from Mount Batur is sprinkled on irrigation canals before planting.
  • Farmers offer food and flowers in fields to boost yields and ward off pests.

• Irrigation and Recognition

  • Subak irrigation system has been around for 2000 years and uses 150 rivers.
  • About 18% of land is dedicated to wet rice under the subak system.
  • In 2012, UNESCO recognized Bali's subak system as a World Heritage Site.

Environmental Changes in Rice Production

• Lithosphere Adjustments

  • Building bunds and terraces to manage water runoff.
  • Fields are flooded during growing season, drained before harvest.
  • High-yield varieties (HYV) need fertilizers.

• Hydrosphere Management

  • The subak system effectively channels water to farms.

• Biosphere Impact

  • HYV rice reduces genetic diversity, making crops more susceptible to pests.
  • Increased pest management leads to higher pesticide use.

• Atmosphere Effects

  • Waterlogged fields and chemical fertilizers contribute to greenhouse gases like methane.

Land Use Challenges

• Environmental Changes

  • Original rainforests cleared for rice farming.
  • Around 82,000 hectares of land is farmed for rice, mainly in Tabanan, Gianyar, and Badung.

• Urbanization Threats

  • Rapid conversion of rice farms into hotels and urban areas at a rate of 1,000 hectares a year poses risks to future food security.

Farm Study: Anna Agung Morning

• Farm Profile

  • Owns four small rice farms in Ubud, with sizes ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 hectares.
  • Farms are terraced and supported by the subak system for irrigation.

• Crop Production

  • Produces three high-yield rice crops annually.
  • Employs manual labor for planting, weeding, and harvesting, using oxen for plowing.

• Diverse Production

  • Farms also yield fruits, vegetables, and livestock like chickens and pigs, along with fish and frogs in flooded fields.
  • Family consumes surplus food; only excess is sold at the local market.

---

Feel free to ask if you’d like any changes or have more info to summarize!