Our Experience with Indigenous Paddy (Organic) Cultivation Using System of

Rice Intensification (SRI)

World Vision Lanka Monaragala District Thanamalwila AGA Division

“Batha Bulathin Saru Wu Wellasse Diriya Daruwo”

Past Context Wellasse (Hundred Thousand Paddy Fields)

Present Context Fields overgrown with forest &

Agricultural Context Upland (unirrigated) agriculture using the rains of the North East monsoon

shrubs

Sustainable Wellassa

Modern Techniques • SRI Concept • Organic Approach

Past Wellassa

Area Context

• Rain Water Harvesting• Ponds

Value Addition • Social Mobilization

• Indigenous Paddy • Indigenous Practices

Table 1: No. of Acres Grown and No. of Farmers Involved in SRI Rice Production (Maha 2006 & Maha 2007)

District Location/DS Division

No. of acres grown

Number of

farmers involved

Variety of seed

paddy used

Duration of

variety used

(months)

Monaragala Thanamalwila

11 24 Suwadal 2/½

6 9 Madathawalu

3/½

9 15 Kuruluthuda

3

6 12 Kaluhinati 3/½

5.75 10 Pachcha Perumal

3/½

Table 3: Farm Size of SRI – Maha 2007/08

Farm size (acres)

Number of SRI

farmers

Total number of acres grown

Productivity of

paddy(Kgs/acre)

Total productio

n (MT)

< 0.25 -

0.25-0.5 14 3.5

0.5 - 1 29 14.5

1-2 11 11.75

2 < - 29.75 45.815

Value Addition

Social Mobilization –

- Activating the latent potential of the people by facilitating and forming self-help groups which are responsible for their own development of culture, education, economy, etc. - Empowering civil society in order to achieve sustainable development  

Advantages

- Empowered people carry on the project from one generation to another generation

- Empowered communities gain maximum benefits from the intervention

500 Rain Water Harvest Ponds

3/10-acre capacity and 5 to15 feet depth, 500 rainwater harvesting ponds constructed within 3 years 

Advantages-

- Irrigation water with use of fertilizers and agrochemicals has contaminated water, but this water is pure & has natural value  - Small independent irrigation pond is formed within the farmer’s land.

Integrated Farm is designed within the farmer’s land

Approach to Thanamalwila

1st Step- Arousing the dignity of the Wellassa people by preparing self-sufficiency of Wellassa area (through addressing social problems)

2nd step - Awareness programs on Indigenous Traditional cultivation, without highlighting the word “SRI”3rd Step - Field visit to “Thangalu Welyaya” with the present community 4th Step- Train 15 Farmers for the Pilot Project 5th Step - Evaluation of the Pilot Project & start the “Maha” season with 200 farmers

6th Step - Marketing initiatives