RICE 
43 pages
Published: 4 Dec 2025
Author(s): John Hornbuckle,, Rodrigo Maia, Carlos Ballaster
ISBN: 78-1-76053-595-7
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The Australian rice industry, particularly in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, faces a critical challenge as water availability remains the greatest threat to the industry’s future. Historically, improvements in water-use productivity have focused on plant breeding and agronomic management, with less emphasis on irrigation technology due to perceived costs and limited benefits. However, recent advances in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and expanded farm connectivity have opened new opportunities for modernising irrigation management and enhancing on-farm water efficiency.
Key highlights
– This project was initiated to address the urgent need for practical, cost-effective irrigation automation and smart sensing solutions tailored to rice growers.
– This project enabled successful commercial-scale aerobic rice production, reducing water use by up to 2.5 ML/ha compared to traditional ponded rice and improving profitability.
– Widespread adoption of automation and smart sensing technologies can deliver significant benefits including increased water-use productivity, reduced labour costs and enhanced profitability per megalitre.
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