Laser land leveling (LLL) is a laser-guided technology used to level fields by removing soil from high points of the field and depositing it in low points of the field. LLL improves crop establishment and enables crops to mature uniformly.  In the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India, yields were found to have improved by 8% for rice and wheat; in Cambodia, rice yields improved by 24%.

LLL reduces greenhouse gas emissions by saving on energy, reducing cultivation time, and improving input-use efficiency. In a level field, water is distributed evenly, thus, reducing the amount of time and volume of water needed for irrigation. Fertilizer use is more efficient as nutrient runoff from high points to low points in the field is less. Prior to using alternate wetting and drying, LLL avoids too much drying of high points in the field, resulting in a yield penalty during the AWD process.

Further reading

• How to perform laser leveling

• Land leveling

• Laser land leveling: How it strikes all the right climate-smart chords