The System of Rice Intensification (SRI): An Update on Its Spread

and Emerging Explanations

Presentation for the Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of Madagascar

Norman Uphoff, CIIFADCornell University, USA

SRI Is Often Regarded as “Too Good to be True”

In fact, it is something very real, as seen from its spreading now around the world– SRI practices can double yield -- and can

raise yield even more under right conditions– SRI does this with fewer inputs (water, etc.)

and lower costs of production -- which makes rice production more profitable

– By raising the productivity of land, labor, capital and water all at the same time, SRI opens up a path for the diversification and modernization of agriculture

The System of Rice Intensification • Was evolved in Madagascar over a 20-year

period by Fr. Henri de Laulanié, S.J. -- working with farmers, observing, doing experiments, also with some luck

• SRI is now about 20 years old (1983-84)• Association Tefy Saina was set up in 1990• CIIFAD has worked with ATS since 1994

– First verifications in 1999: China, Indonesia– Then Bangladesh, Philippines, Cambodia,

Nepal, Sri Lanka, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cuba, India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Peru, etc.

SRI Experience Is SpreadingComparison Yields (t.ha-1) vs. SRI Average and Max.Country Comp. Yields Ave. SRI Yields Ave. SRI Maximum

BANGLADESH 4.9 6.3 7.1CAMBODIA 2.1 4.4 8.5CHINA (hybrids) 10.9 12.8 14.8CUBA 6.2 9.8 12.7GAMBIA 2.3 7.1 8.8INDONESIA 4.8 8.2 9.0LAOS 3.3 3.3 7.0MADAGASCAR 2.6 7.2 13.9NEPAL 4.4 8.1 11.1PHILIPPINES 3.0 6.0 7.4SIERRA LEONE 2.6 5.3 7.4SRI LANKA 3.6 7.8 14.3

Average 3.9 7.0 10.1

Participants at SRI Conference in Sanya, China, 2002

SRI In Summary:A set of principles and methods to getmore productive PHENOTYPES from any existing GENOTYPE of rice

It does this by changing management of plants, soil, water, and nutrients to

(a) induce greater ROOT growth and

(b) nurture more abundant and diverse populations of SOIL BIOTA

TWO ALTERNATIVE PARADIGMS

• The GREEN REVOLUTION paradigm:(a) Changed genetic potentials of plants, and

(b) Increased the use of external inputs -- using more water, fertilizer, insecticides, etc.

SRI paradigm changes management practices for plants, soil, water and nutrients in order to:(a) Promote root growth, and(b) Increase the abundance and diversity of

soil microbial populations and soil faunaThese give the plant nutrients and protection

from pests and pathogensPrinciples are similar to those of CIRAD research

Plant Physical Structure and Light Intensity Distribution

at Heading Stage (CNRRI Research --Tao et al. 2002)

Single Cambodian rice planttransplanted at 10 days

CFA Camilo Cienfuegos, Cuba14 t/ha -- Variety Los Palacios 9

SRI plant with 87 fertile tillers atCFA Camilo Cienfuegos, Cuba

Recent SRI Expansion in Andhra Pradesh, India

Summer season -- first 12 results: (short-season varieties; others more)

• Comparison yields 4.3 - 6.3 t/ha• SRI yields 8.5-12.2 t/ha Winter season - 4,000+ ha under SRI;

one farmer planted 44 ha in SRI; next season, half of Cauvery Delta?

Ave. SRI Yields Are Impressive --Some Increases Are 3-5 Times

Indonesia -- West Timor (ADRA) • Yield with current methods -- 4.4 t/ha• Yield with SRI methods -- 11.7 t/haPeru -- Pucallpa -- jungle area• Previous yields -- 2 t/ha, with more labor• SRI yield -- 8 t/ha, with less labor, and then

a ratoon crop of 5.5 t/ha (70% of first crop)Benin -- controlled trials = 1.6 vs 7.5 t/haWe think such increases must be due to the

effects of changes in SOIL BIOLOGY

17 t/ha - Ambatovy

Starting Points for SRI:• Transplant young seedlings (<15 days) --

but direct seeding is becoming an alternative

• Set out plants singly with wider spacing – In a square pattern (25x25cm or more) and– Plant them shallow, gently, and quickly -- minimizing trauma to the roots

• With no continuous flooding during the period of vegetative growth -- (a) minimum applications, or (b) alternate flooding/draining

• After panicle initiation, thin layer of water (1-2 cm) on field until 10 d before harvest

Results from SRI Practices:• Increased TILLERING -- 30-50 tillers/plant or more • Larger ROOT SYSTEMS -- 5-6x more resistance to

uprooting (28 kg for 3 plants vs. 53 kg for 1 SRI plant)

• Bigger PANICLES -- 200-300 grains/panicle, or more

• GRAIN QUALITY -- fewer unfilled and broken grains

• RESISTANCE to pests, diseases, storms, drought, cold

• RATOONING is possible -- yielding up to 70-90%

• YIELDS are increased -- 7-8 t/ha, even up to 15-20 t/ha

• PRODUCTIVITY goes up -- land, labor, water, capital

• PROFITABILITY -- is more important than yield, both for farmers and for countries -- up 100-200% or more

Two rice fields in Sri Lanka -- same variety,same irrigation system, and same drought :

conventional methods (left), SRI (right)

SRI Results Are Achieved with:• ANY AND ALL varieties -- HYVs and hybrids give

the highest yields with SRI methods, but with SRI methods, local varieties can produce 6-12 t/ha

• NO NEED for chemical fertilizers -- these raise yield with SRI, but the best results are with compost

• NO NEED to apply agrochemicals -- pesticides, fungicides, etc. are usually not needed or economical

• SIGNIFICANT WATER SAVINGS -- water require-ments can drop by 50%, but need good water control

• MORE LABOR at first -- but as SRI methods are mastered, SRI can become labor-saving over time

• MORE SKILL and management effort needed -- SRI is intended to improve farmers’ capabilities

SRI field in Sri Lanka -- yield of 13 t/hawith panicles having 400+ grains

SRI is COUNTERINTUITIVEMORE IS PRODUCED FROM LESS? -- How

can this be possible? By utilizing existing biological processes and potentials

• Smaller, younger seedlings become larger, more productive mature plants

• Fewer plants per hill and per m2 will give higher yield if used with other SRI practices

• Half as much water produces more rice when root systems are kept healthy, and

• Greater output is possible when using fewer or even no external inputs

Single SRI Rice Plant Grown at RiceResearch Station, Maruteru, AP, India

Cuba -- Variety 2084 (Bollito) -- 52 DAP

Comparison of Root Activity between SRI and Conventionally-Grown RiceWuxianggeng 9 variety (Wang et al. 2002)

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N-n n-2 Heading Maturity

Development stage

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Paths for Increased Grain Yield in Relation to N Uptake, using QUEFTS

Analytical Model (Barison, 2002)

N Internal Efficiency

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N u p take (kg /h a)

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Conv. gra in yie ld(kg/ha)

AZOSPIRILLUM POPULATIONS, TILLERING AND RICE YIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT CULTIVATION PRACTICES

AND NUTRIENT AMENDMENTSResults of replicated trials at the Centre for Diffusion of Agricultural Intensification,

Beforona, Madagascar, 2000 (Raobelison, 2000)

Azospirillum in the

CLAY SOIL Rhizosphere(103/ml)

Roots(103/mg)

Tillers/plant

Yield(t/ha)

Traditional cultivation,no amendments

25 65 17 1.8

SRI cultivation, withno amendments

25 1,100 45 6.1

SRI cultivation, withNPK amendments

25 450 68 9.0

SRI cultivation,with compost

25 1,400 78 10.5

LOAM SOILSRI cultivation,with no amendments

25 75 32 2.1

SRI cultivation,with compost

25 2,000 47 6.6

SRI Data from Sri Lanka SRI Usual

• Yields (tons/ha) 8.0 4.2 +88%• Market price (Rs/ton) 1,500 1,300 +15%• Total cash cost (Rs/ha) 18,000 22,000 -18%• Gross returns (Rs/ha) 120,000 58,500 +105%• Net profit (Rs/ha) 102,000 36,500 +180%• Family labor earnings Increased with SRI• Water savings ~ 40-50%

Data from Dr. Aldas Janaiah, IRRI agric. economist, 1999-2002; now at Indira Gandhi Development Research Institute in Mumbai; based on interviews conducted with 30 SRI farmers in Sri Lanka, October, 2002

SRI Evaluation from Sri LankaIWMI Evaluation (Namara, Weligamage, Barker 2003)

60 SRI and 60 non-SRI farmers randomly selected:YIELD -- increased by 50% on average (not doing full SRI)

WATER PRODUCTIVITY -- increased by 90%COST OF PRODUCTION (Rs./kg) -- lower by 111-209%

with family labor, 17-27%at standard wage rateLABOR PRODUCTIVITY (kg/hr) -- up 50% in yala (dry)

season, up 62% in maha (wet) seasonPROFITABILITY -- increased by 83-206%, depending

on the wage assumed (family labor vs. paid labor)RISK REDUCTION -- conventional farmers had net

losses in 28% of seasons, SRI farmers in only 4%

PHILIPPINES DATA: AGRICULTURAL TRAININGINSTITUTE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,COTOBATO, SRI Field Day, October 28, 2002

Production Analysis PSB Rc 72H PSB Rc 82 PSB Rc 18Plants/m2 = Hills/m2 16 16 16Panicles/hill 20 25.8 31Grains/panicle 191 155 159Grains/hill 3,825 4,822 4,921Yield/m2 1.16 1.25 1.2Yield (t/ha) 11.6 12.5 12.0

Economic Analysis Pesos/ha Pesos/ha Pesos/haInputs: seeds, org. fertilizer. 3,700 3,320 3,320Other expenses 5,830 5,830 5,830Harvesting, threshing 14,848 16,000 15,360 Cost of Production in P/ha

24,378 25,150 24,510

Income from Production @ 8 P/kg

93,800 100,000 96,000

NET PROFIT P/ha 68,422 74,850 71,490 Rate of Return 280% 298% 292%

SRI CONCEPTS CAN BE EXTENDED TO UPLAND PRODUCTION

Results of trials (N=20) by Philippine NGO, Broader Initiatives for Negros Development,

with Azucena local variety (4,000 m2 area)-- using mulch as main innovation, not young plants

Spacing Tillers/Hill

PanicleLength

Grains/Panicle

Yield(t/ha)

Net Return(P)

15x40 7.2 30.4 331.2 7.4 2.520x40 9.9 29.4 338.1 7.7 2.925x40 10.2 28.2 315.5 7.4 2.730x40 9.7 29.8 374.9 7.0 2.635x40 11.4 29.2 364.5 6.7 2.4

System of Rice I ntensification

Pabinhi Farmers’ Experience in the

Philippines

Rene Jaranilla, Dionito Eñano, and

Gerry Garingalao

A beautiful rice field……

Total Production Cost, in pesos per hectare, 2002

7,51012,310TOTAL

2,8002,400Threshing and hauling

8402,520Irrigation cost

4801,440 (8 sacks)Fertilization

0Pest management

6302,200Weeding

6301,500Transplanting

30900Seeds

2,1001,350Tractor/land preparation

OrganicChemicalInputs

Comparative Analysis of Farming System Results

P 9,890(P 3,310)Net Income

P 7,510P 12,310Total production cost

17,400 (58 cav)P 9,000 (30 cav)Gross Income

4.1 T/ha (2002)1.8 T/haYield/ha (palay)

~110 days105Maturity period

M8-1, Ka Luis, AG5, Malido,

Pilit Pula

IR64, IR36Varieties used

6,800 sq. m6,800 sq. mFarm size

519No. of years farming

Organic Methods

Chemical Methods

General Information

Even Better Results in 2003

• Rene Janarilla got a yield of 7 t/ha with SRI methods

• If his cost of production went from P7,510 to P10,000, and income went from P17,400 to P30,000 (70% more), Janarilla’s net income would be 135% higher -- P22,500 instead of P10,000

Effects of SRI vs. Conventional PracticesComparing Varietal and Soil Differences

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Local-ClayLocal-LoamHYV -SandLocal-Sand

SRI is a WORK IN PROGRESS

No final evaluation is possible yet because SRI knowledge and practice are still evolving, even rapidly -- but it does work

• Farmer innovation is on-going and important• SRI is becoming less labor-intensive -- which

makes it more attractive to farmers• Direct seeding and no-till are being tried out• More researchers are now working on SRI• Soil biology and ecology are now getting more

attention -- new analytical techniques available

Effect of N-fertilization, plant genotype and environmental conditions on nifH gene pools in roots of rice

Zhiyuan Tan, Thomas Hurek, and Barbara Reinhold-Hurek, Univ. of Bremen

Environmental Microbiology (2003), 5 (10), 1009-1015

Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RLFP) analysis -- with and without N fertilization -- indicating nifH gene pools in Oryza longistaminata and O. sativa (IR-72) cultivars

POLICY ISSUES for Rice Sector

• Need to make rice more PROFITABLE for farmers -- lower costs of production and raise labor productivity for higher incomes

• Need to raise PRODUCTIVITY of land and water -- these becoming scarcer per capita

• Need technologies that are ACCESSIBLE to the poor -- food security, reduce poverty

• Need ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY production -- reduce soil loss,water pollution

EXTENSION OPPORTUNITIES• Focus on SRI demonstrations rather than

promotion -- let farmers decide for selves• Identify and analyze successful SRI use

-- both agronomically and economically• Continue rice production competitions• Support irrigation development to improve

farmers’ water control -- many benefits• Increase farmer-to-farmer dissemination

of SRI, with printed and video materials• Evaluate and disseminate tanety SRI

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS• Food security is initial preoccupation --

increase production of the poorest, help them get out from under debt immobilization

• Environmental protection is collateral benefit -- especially if upland SRI expands

• Agricultural diversification is possible as productivity of land, labor, capital and water resources used in rice production increases; can redeploy these to other, higher value and more nutritional uses ⇒ modernization

THANK YOUMore information is available

on the SRI WEB PAGE:http://ciifad.cornell.edu/sri/

including Sanya conference proceedings,also available on CD-ROM discs

E-MAIL ADDRESSES:ciifad@cornell.edu

tefysaina.tnr@simicro.mg