00:00These farmers are planting rice seedlings, but before they plant, they spread a plastic film over the field and then insert the seedlings through it.
00:08Before, people used to plant rice directly into the soil, so this looks really strange.
00:13What's actually going on here?
00:15It turns out this isn't just to keep their hands clean.
00:18This is a newer farming technique, and farmers use it because it has four big benefits.
00:23One, it blocks sunlight.
00:25The film stops weeds from growing, so farmers don't need herbicides, and they save money on labor too.
00:32Two, it keeps moisture and fertilizer in the soil.
00:35Less water evaporates and nutrients don't get washed away.
00:38The rice absorbs more and grows better.
00:41Three, it warms the soil faster.
00:43The ground becomes warmer, so the rice grows earlier and faster, and farmers can harvest sooner.
00:49Four, the film is biodegradable.
00:51The plastic they use now breaks down on its own into water and carbon dioxide, so it doesn't pollute the soil.
00:57Because of all this, farmers can spend less, grow more, and produce healthier rice.
