Experiences with SRI in Cambodia2000-2007

By Yang Saing Koma CEDACApril 2007

Traditional Practice

Technical Practice (SRI)

Background of SRI introduction

Cambodia: 14 mill population or around 2.5 families Around 85 % in the rural areas, depending mostly on

agriculture 35 % of the population is under poverty line, most of them are

farmers Around 1.8 million farm-households are rice dependent-

households Most of household with around 1 ha rice field Rice farming mostly under rainfed condition, yield is generally

lower than 2 tons per ha Intensification of rice production and agricultural diversification

are key to improve the livelihood of rice-dependent households

Background of SRI introduction

Conventional approaches in rice intensification rely on the developing new or improve varieties, appropriate fertilizer recommendations, safe use of pesticides and irrigation

Farmers are considered to be recipient of technology transferred by research through extension services,

This approach lead to increasing dependency of farmers on external support and input, losing the appreciation of the local resources, decreasing self-confidence and self-reliance

It has become generally-accepted belief that we can get higher rice yield only applying more (modern) inputs

Background of SRI introduction

CEDAC was set up in August 1997 SRI was developed in Madagascar in the early 80s by a

French Priest, Henri de Lalaunié as innovative methods to increase rice production by using existing resources (water, rice plant, soil/nutrient, organic matter)

CEDAC introduced SRI as strategy of rice intensification in Cambodia after learning from LEISA magazine in 1999

First field experimentation farmers and CEDAC director in his own farm in May 2000

At the beginning there were a lot of resistance and skeptics 28 farmers volunteered to test SRI in 2000

Mr. Mey Som, the first SRI farmer with CEDAC director in 2000

SRI as alternative/innovative system of rice intensification Recognizing that rice plant has great natural

growth potential (more than 50 tillers and panicle per rice plant, larger and deeper root systems)

Focusing on developing methods or management practices that create a conducive environment for rice to unleash its natural potential (to have more roots and more tillers)

Recognizing farmer’s role in experimentation, adaptation and dissemination of innovative methods and management practices

Tillering potential of rice plant

Root growth and tillering of rice with traditional and SRI methods

Tiller development and root growth of rice with traditional and SRI methods

Difference between traditional and SRI practices

Traditional Rice field is continuously

flooded with high level of water during the vegetative stage

Seedling is raised with too much water, and the seedling density is high

Transplanting too many seedlings per clump, mixture of weak and thick seedling

SRI Only minimal water,

preferably keeping the soil only moist and dry/wet condition

Seedling is raised in bed like vegetable bed with lower send density

Only a few seedlings, but preferably one seedling per clump, only vigorous seedling

Tradition method vs SRI method in nursery and seedling management

Difference between traditional and SRI

Traditional Old seedling, generally more

than one month Seedling is uprooted with

damage to root and stem, and is kept for one to two days before transplanting

Seedlings are transplanted with close spacing, and spacing is generally not equal

SRI Younger seedling, preferably

less than 15 days

Young seedling is uprooted and transplanted with care, transplanted immediately after uprooting

Wide spacing and square pattern or at least line transplanting

Transplanting young seedling with care

Traditional vs SRI method in number of seedling to be transplanted

Difference between traditional and SRI practices

Traditional Weeding is not early

enough, not frequent and regularly (weeding is done when there are weeds)

Use of poorly decomposed farmyard manure, and dependent on the use of chemical fertilizers

SRI Early weeding and

frequent weeding to improve soil aeration (weeding before the weed comes out)

Application of compost

Early and frequent weeding

How CEDAC introduced and promoted SRI Identify and select interested farmers to be pioneer in testing SRI on a

voluntary basis and very small-scale In every village, we focus on working with a small group of genuine

interested farmers to experiment SRI in a proper way to get concrete results Inviting new farmers to see the fields of the experimenting farmers Inviting experienced SRI farmers to share with other farmers in the villages

and other villages Train best SRI experimenting farmers to be farmer promoter, and support

them to train and advise other farmers Inviting representatives from government and other development agencies

to visit and meet SRI farmers Provide capacity building support to other to disseminate SRI Support the establishment of national SRI secretariat (with Oxfam and GTZ

support)

28 5003000

10000

17000

40000

60000

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Progress of number of SRI farmers in Cambodia

Area cultivated with SRI methods (in ha, from 2000 to 2006)

1.6 28.7900

4700 4788

11200

16400

020004000600080001000012000140001600018000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 1006

Note: Number of rice growing villages: around 12,000 villagesNumber of provinces and municipality: 24

Number of SRI villages and provinces

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Number of villages

18 122 350 815 1397 2500 2685

Number of provinces

4/24 7/24 11/24 14/24 17/24 20/24 24/24

Benefits from SRI

Yield increase from 1.5-1.8 tons per ha to 2.5-3.5 tons per ha (increase of 50% to 150%), with traditional/local varieties

Some SRI farmers achieve yield more than 6 tons per ha

Traditional Practice

Technical Practice (SRI)

Traditional Practice

Technical Practice (SRI)

Benefits of SRI for farmers

Seed requirement reduced by 70-80%, fertilizers use decreased by 50 % (from 150 kg per ha to 75 kg per ha), and most SRI farmers have given up pesticide use

Net income from rice per ha has increased from around 58 $US per ha to 172 $US per ha (almost 200 % increase).

Under marketing support from CEDAC, increasing number of SRI farmers now market their rice under organic brand, and receive 15 % premium

Change of income earned from rice

production (n=120 farmers, in riel)

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

before SRI 2001 2002 2003

Variable Cost

Net Income

Fertilizer cost

Benefits of SRI for farmers

Increased self-confidence and self-reliance as they can get higher production by using only their existing resources

Growing interest among farmers in working on other technical and social innovations (for example saving for self-reliance, joint marketing and joint purchase)

Enabling farmers to diversify by using rice surplus to feed animal and to allocating or converting parts of rice field for other agricultural production (vegetable, fish, animals, tree planting), from SRI to SID (System of intensification and diversification)

Concluding remarks Consistent positive field results with since 2000 shows that SRI is appropriate option to address problem related to food insecurity and poverty in Cambodia as well as good entry point in rural development More works need to be done to reinforce this momentum of SRI development and dissemination so that existing farmers can get more benefits from SRI (higher yield, diversification, higher net income), and all rice farmers in Cambodia and other rice growing region have opportunity to use SRI to improve their livelihood