Rice growing in Bali - a triumph for local wisdom?

The UNESCO recognition of Bali rice culture presents a great story about the wisdom of the traditional people, and the foolishness of the scientists who promoted the "Green Revolution" from the early 1970s. These new techniques increased the number of crops per year from two to three and therefore increased production, but the benefits did not last. Traditional practices had avoided the worst damage from pests and diseases, and had managed water supplies fairly, which preserved local harmony. Eventually, most traditional practices were restored. 

The change from traditional to "modern" scientific practices and back again, has provided comparisons to show the wisdom of traditional practices. A major contributor has been Professor Stephen Lansing, from the University of Arizona -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZLLGCaz74M

According to Stephen Lansing, the first of the new varieties was IR8, but this was susceptible to the brown planthopper, and associated rice tungro virus. A replacement variety, IR50, was resistant to tungro, but then proved susceptible to rice blast disease.

The story continues that by the 1980s, the whole of the Bali island was being sprayed, and the irrigation system was in chaos. Eventually, the Asian Development Bank was persuaded that the Balinese water temples have a practical role. A synchronised fallow is needed to control such pests, which requires community cooperation, with a tight planting period of the rice crops. Over a period such as a decade, a village can develop a suitable synchronised planting. The hand-back of control of the water temples has restored profitability for the rice industry, though heavy fertiliser applications have continued, and this is damaging coral reefs.

By his own account, Dr Lansing has participated in achieving UNESCO World Heritage listing of the water temple culture, after four attempts which were finally successful in 2012.

This story is a little too neat to be completely credible. On the other hand, I have seen similar naivety in adoption of expensive pesticide inputs by W.A. farmers. An all-to-common practice is to follow what the “sales agronomist” recommends, which is something you can buy from his shop, rather than a management plan with broader benefit, but which takes longer to develop. It would be interesting to know more, but the miracles you can see in the rice fields of Bali speaks for the capability of a cooperative community effort.