Welcome

SRI Presentation

by

SRI National Network Bangladesh

contact person

Dr. Muazzam HussainMay 26, 2010

With Thanks

Dr. Muzzam Hussain extends thanks and gratitude to OXFAM, on behalf of

SRI NNB and BRF for:

• Moral support

• Resource support

System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

• Understanding SRI

• Implementation of SRI

• Benefits of SRI

• Challenges in SRI

• Climate Change Impact on Rice Cultivation

• SRI and Adaptation to Climate Change

• SRI in Bangladesh

Understanding SRI

It is all about a plant

Understanding SRI

But no magic

Why deal with plant

• Higher yield

Yield Concerns

• Healthy plant

Healthy Plant

SKIT

(to be provided)• Good Seed• Good Knowledge• Good Information• Good Technology

SWALTS

(to be facilitated)• Living Soil• Sufficient Water• Dynamic Air• Plenty of Light• Appropriate Time• Suitable Space

No alternative to• Good Seed• Good Knowledge• Good Information• Good Technology

Living Soil

• Balanced ingredients

• Functioning organisms

• Mechanics of aeration

Soil is a living factory of nutrients

Sufficient Water

• Just as much needed for the plant

• Adequate mix of minerals

Water is a backward support for nutrients

Dynamic Air

• Mechanism for provision of air

– Pores in the soil

– Manipulation of soil for aeration

Air is a forward support for nutrients

Plenty of Light

• Positioning for least interrupted light

– Appropriate distance

– Physical environment (no big tree / shed)

Light is ignition and generation of nutrients

Appropriate Time• Period of cultivation• Season for cultivation• Dating sawing and

harvesting• Time of transplantation

Time and timing is risk management of yield

Suitable Space

• Weather

• Climate

• Environment

• Physical area

• Appropriation of space

Space is the ruler of vegetation

Implementation of SRI

• Group Approach

• Farmers School Approach

• Scheme Approach

Implementation of SRI

• Small portion of area in farmers field

• Demonstration plot

• Season-long experimental observation

Implementation of SRI

• More than one season

• Seed-to-seed period of learning

Implementation of SRI

• Learning oriented

• Yield optimization

• Appreciating the complexity of rice cultivation

• Local knowledge

Implementation of SRI

Partnership between implementing Agency and the farmer in the period between initiation and graduation of a SRI Program

Salient Features of SRI Practice

• Increases yield

• Reduces external inputs

• Environment-friendly

Benefits of SRI

• Reduction of irrigated water quantity by 30% to 40%

• Reduction in seed quantity by >75%

• Reduction in damage by rodents

• Keeps up threshold of damage by pests

• Most number of tillers productive

• Decrease in external inputs

Benefits of SRI

• Less probability of damage due to flood

• Stems of SRI rice plant are thicker – more resistant to storm damage

• Roots of SRI rice plant are deeper – more drought-resistant

Benefits of SRI

• Yield increased by 20% to 200%

• Sustained optimum yield rate

• Increase yield of indigenous variety

• Earlier maturity (by 7-20 days)

• Higher straw yield

• Resource-efficient production

Benefits of SRI

• Maximum use of local resources

• New land area becomes feasible for rice cultivation

• Active soil aeration

• Healthy soil

• Hand weeding with push-weeder is easier

Challenges in SRI

• Momentary challenges– Difficulty in transplanting young seedlings– Frequency of irrigation– Increase in weeding (frequency)

• Persistent challenges– Weed control– Irrigation pump management– Power / fuel

Flooding

• Timing

• Early maturity

• Indigenous varieties feasible

• Faster recovery / establishment

Drought

• Thicker stems and deeper roots

• Healthy soil

• Water retention in soil is higher

Cyclone

• Timing

• Thicker stems - more flexible, less lodging

• Indigenous varieties favorable

Other Hazards -- Biotic

• Pest infestation

• Soil nutritional depletion

• Disease infestation

Other Abiotic - Physical

• Water stagnation

• Prolonged period of inundation

• Salinity

• Lowering of underground water level

• Variance on time of rainfall

• Variance in amount of rainfall

Other Abiotic - Climatic

• Cold spells

• Hot spells

• Fog

• Global warming – higher temperatures

• Greenhouse gases

• Hailstorms

• Tornados

Other Abiotic - Modernization

• ‘Green Revolution’ orientation

• Homogeneity of crops - vulnerability

• Genetic uniformity - vulnerability

• Monoculture - vulnerability

SRI in Bangladesh

• Farmers has accepted

• Invariably practicing

• Scientists and policy-makers unanimously called for joint effort in SRI research

• Expansion of SRI / dissemination

• Strengthening SRI National Network

Food for Thoughts

• Rice plant is not really aquatic – it can survive in standing water, but does not thrive

• With SRI, rice can be grown in land usually not accepted as suitable for rice cultivation

• SRI as a principle of combination of practices is being extended to management of other crops – sugar cane, wheat, etc.

Food for Thoughts

• Can be difficult to convince farmers in first season – need to see results for themselves

• SRI calls for change in age-old traditions in rice cultivation – change is generally hard for people to accept and engage in

• But SRI benefits are multiple, visible, and quick – so this gives incentives for change

Food for Thoughts

• More research is required– to better understand– to innovate

» for household income

» build resilience of farmers

» capacity of farmer to cope with odds

• Not just ‘research’ but simple demonstrations to show results

Way Forward

• More research and demonstrations

• Farmers capacity-building

• Rights approach

• Policy advocacy

• Gender perspective

• Joint efforts

• Core funding for SRI NNB is needed