Reducing Agrochemical Dependency in Rice Production: Lessons from a Sustainability Study in Tonosí, Panama

Abstract

This study evaluated the sustainability of rice production systems in Los Santos province, Panama, focusing on experimental plots in the district of Tonosí, one of the country’s most important rice-producing regions. Two contrasting production systems were compared: an agroecological approach based on reduced chemical inputs and a conventional model representing intensive agricultural management. The fields were established using the standard spacing employed by local producers, 20 cm between plants and 40 cm between rows, and cultivated over a five-month production cycle. Key indicators, including crop yield, grain quality, soil properties, and water use efficiency, were systematically measured to assess the agronomic and environmental performance of both systems. Results showed that the agroecological treatment reduced synthetic fertilizer use by 25 percent without significantly affecting yield (p = 0.83, 95% CI), achieving an average productivity of 4.75 tons per hectare compared with 4.91 tons per hectare in the conventional system. Moreover, the agroecological plots demonstrated a 24 percent reduction in irrigation water demand, improvements in soil organic matter and structural integrity, and higher biodiversity observed during field inspections. These outcomes indicate that sustainable rice management can maintain productivity while reducing environmental impact, contributing to food security, resource efficiency, and agricultural resilience under the increasing pressures of climate change.