The official launch of the RICOWAS project « Scaling up climate-resilient rice production in West Africa », took place on January 18, 2023 in Bamako, Mali. The project is financed by the Adaptation Fund (AF) and implemented by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) with the collaboration of the Regional Center of Specialization on Rice, hosted by the Institute of Rural Economy of Mali (CRS-Riz/IER), the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD) and the Cornell University, for a 14M USD budget over a 4-year period. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a major component of the project.
The Adaptation Fund (AF) has just approved the “Scaling up Climate Resilient Rice Production in West Africa” (RICOWAS) project, during the thirty-seventh board meeting, held on October 19-21, 2021.
With a four-year implementation period, RICOWAS is the largest regional project funded by the AF in Africa with a total amount of $ 14 million and affecting thirteen ECOWAS countries; namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The project focuses on scaling-up SRI in combination with agro-ecozone specific Sustainable Land and Water Management (SLWM) practices, which is being coined as Climate-Resilient Rice Production (CRRP). The overall purpose of the project is to improve climate resilience and increase the productivity of the rice system of smallholder rice farmers in West Africa by adopting a climate-resilient rice production approach.
Fonio may be Africa’s oldest cultivated cereal crop, with an ancient lineage going back more than 5,000 years. Because it matures quickly rural communities have long counted on fonio to bridge the lean season between harvests. Now, a research project carried out by Cornell’s Climate-Resilient Farming Systems (CRFS) program and the NGO 3-A Sahel in Mali has found that, after two years of study, farmers in the Mopti region almost doubled their yields of fonio by adapting System of Rice Intensification (SRI) principles.
Significantly less seed was needed (12 kilograms per hectare compared to 20) and plants were taller, stronger and had more tillers, or shoots, sprouting off from the main stem to produce more seeds. Yolélé Foods, which is determined to bring fonio to a wider audience, is helping fonio farmers wilth better milling technology and marketing.
The Sustainable Rice Intensification is an innovation promoted by the Green Innovation Centres that aims at enhancing farmer's productivity and at the same time reducing the ecological footprint in the rice sector. The video was taken during a field trip to Mali in October 2019. (Video is in French).
Erika Styger presents her work on scaling-up the agro-ecological methodology--the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)--in West Africa. This journey began with one farmer in Mali 12 years ago, and had grown to 50,000 farmers in 13 countries of West Africa by 2016.
Tanzanians who participated in the System of Rice Intensification training shared their stories of how a new rice growing system improved their lives. A bottom-up and more inclusive approach led to a successful outcome. Tanzania is one of the participating countries in the “Partnership for Sustainable Rice Systems Development in Sub-Saharan Africa” project within the framework of South-South Cooperation. Tanzania has achieved a tremendous impact on farmers in five irrigation schemes’ regional districts. Besides Tanzania, the project supported Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda.
Cette formation de 5 jours sur le SRI est en pratique et sur place au centre de formation. Le système de riziculture Intensif (SRI)... introduit au Mali par AFRICAIRE et mis en échelle par l’USAID dans certaines régions.
Les objectifs visés par la formation, c’est de diffuser à grande échelle cette technologie afin de réduire le coût de la production tout en augmentant le rendement. Cette formation est utilisée dans la pratique à l’aide d’une démonstration pratique sur les différents principes du SRI.
SRI-Rice's insight:
This five-day SRI training (Nov. 12-16, 2018) Agroforma training is being organized by CEFE Niono in Niono, Mali. Contact the website for other training opportunities for SRI and other topics.
Le système d’intensification du riz (SRI) permet à la fois d’économiser l’eau et d’augmenter les rendements. Il repose sur les principes suivants : amélioration de l’enracinement des plantes, réduction sensible de la densité des plantes et amélioration de la fertilité des sols. Afin de suivre les pratiques du SRI, on encourage les agriculteurs à soigner le nivellement des parcelles, afin d’éviter que les plants de petite taille ne se retrouvent noyés. ...Dans la technique culturale du riz, plusieurs éléments, dont la gestion du sol, de l’eau, de la plante et de la lumière ont une influence sur la production. Leur combinaison harmonieuse permet d’atteindre le potentiel de production caché par les pratiques inappropriées. En effet, au fil des siècles, les techniques de production de riz utilisées à travers le monde ont considérablement réduit son potentiel naturel. Ce système d’intensification du riz améliore la technique conventionnelle de la riziculture en rendant au riz ses possibilités de production maximale.
SRI-Rice's insight:
This French language practical guide for SRI can be accessed in full on Mali's AgroForma website (http://agroforma.org/ressources/systeme-de-riziculture-intensif/)
Une étude exploratoire a été menée de 2009 à 2013 en vue d’évaluer la faisabilité technique du Système de Riziculture Intensive (SRI) dans cinq localités de l’Office du Niger, Mali. Le protocole expérimental comprenait 3 traitements : pratique paysanne avec la dose recommandée de fumure minérale (T1) ; méthode SRI avec 10 tonnes de fumier plus la dose d’engrais recommandée (T2) et méthode SRI avec 10 tonnes de fumier et la moitié de la dose vulgarisée de fumure minérale (T3). Les rendements ont varié entre 4,5 et 10 t ha-1 et plus avec la méthode SRI et entre 3 et 8t ha-1 avec la méthode conventionnelle. En outre, une relation positive entre les pratiques de gestion des cultures et les rendements en milieu paysan a été observée. Il en a été de même pour les rendements et les facteurs sol notamment N et P. Dans près de 50 % des cas, la variabilité des rendements pouvait être expliquée par des pratiques culturales, et de gestion de la fertilité et de l’eau.
SRI-Rice's insight:
A study was conducted with 40 farmers from 2008 to 2011 in the Office du Niger, Mali, to determine the feasibility of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) cultural practices. Treatments were: farmer practice (T1); SRI (T2) with 5 tons of manure and the recommended rate of mineral fertilizer and SRI with 5 tons of manure and half of the recommended dose of mineral fertilizer (T3). Yields varied between 4.5 and10 t ha-1 and more for SRI and between 3 and 8t t ha-1 for the conventional practice. There was a significant correlation between farming practices and yields, and between yields and soil factors (especially N and P). More than 60 % of the variations in performance were due to the control of cultural practices and water management in both systems (conventional method and SRI). [Because of large yield variability, it appears that SRI can lead to low yields if proper cultural practices are not followed.]
..Rice farmers in the SAN community unanimously agree that the SRI is a sustainable alternative to boost economic growth by increasing income in the targeted value chains including rice, to ensure food security and reduce poverty in communities...
Helping farmers adopt the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) enables them to grow far more food more cost-effectively and sustainably, producing higher yields with less water, fertilizer, seeds, and labor. With Oxfam’s support, more than one million farmers and families in Vietnam and Cambodia have practiced SRI and benefited from both improved and local rice varieties. On average, farmers have seen a 10–100 percent or more increase in yields, up to a 90 percent reduction in required seed, and up to a 50 percent savings in water usage. The rice plant health and ecosystems in the paddy fields continually improve. SRI has reached more than 16 percent of the total rice farming population in the northern region of Vietnam—home to most of the small-scale, resource-poor rice farmers in the country.
SRI increases yield and profitability in West African rice farming, especially when locally adapted. Farmers adjust SRI to fit lowland rice farming, where water cannot be controlled and to address labour constraints. Additional labour for transplanting (instead of broadcasting) – coinciding with an existing labour bottleneck – constrains SRI adoption. SRI is mainly practised by marginal and accumulating farmers and to a lesser extent by medium farmers. Accumulating farmers invest in agriculture, farm profit-oriented and overcome labour constraints by hiring. Thus, they can practise SRI on larger scale and their absolute benefits are higher. Nevertheless, they rely on hired labour to do so, which strengthens workers' bargaining position. Consequently, SRI benefits all: accumulating farmers who employ as well as marginal farmers and hired labourers. Contrary to findings from Asia, SRI seems to be relatively pro-poor in West Africa.
Cette technique contribuera en 10 ans à l’augmentation de 10% de la production nationale de riz. Ce qui profitera à 244.962 producteurs/productrices pour un coût estimé à 14 milliards de Fcfa.
Le Centre des innovations vertes pour le secteur agro-alimentaire de la GIZ Mali (CIV/GIZ-Mali), a fait hier la promotion du Système de riziculture intensive (SRI). C’était à l’occasion d’un atelier de partage du Programme national de système de riziculture intensif (PN-SRI).
SRI-Rice's insight:
This technique (SRI) will contribute in 10 years to the increase of 10% of the national rice production. This will benefit 244,962 producers at an estimated amount of 14 billion CFA francs. The Center for Green Innovations for the Agro-Food Sector of GIZ Mali (CIV / GIZ-Mali) yesterday promoted the System of Intensive Rice Cultivation (SRI) during a workshop of the National Intensive Rice Cultivation System Program (PN-SRI)..."
L’Office Riz Mopti a adopté un budget en hausse de 45% pour sa campagne 2020/21, estimé à 1,599 milliard de FCFA (€ 2,4 millions). ..L’adoption d’un Système de Riziculture Intensive (SRI) introduite par le PPAAO apparait aujourd’hui comme une formidable opportunité pour renverser la tendance actuelle, accroître durablement la production de riz et lutter contre l’insécurité alimentaire au Mali.
Le projet régional de « Développement et diffusion à grande échelle du Système de Riziculture Intensive (SRI) en Afrique de l’Ouest” s’inscrit dans le cadre du Programme de Productivité Agricole en Afrique de l’Ouest (PPAAO) à travers le Centre National de Spécialisation-Riz du Mali.
Le système de riziculture intensive, ou SRI, est une approche agro-écologique qui permet aux agriculteurs de riz de maximiser leurs rendements tout en diminuant au même temps les intrants tels que l’eau, les engrais chimiques, les herbicides et les pesticides.
SRI-Rice's insight:
This article explains that rice is a staple food in Mali but they are required to import nearly half of their rice. "SRI has the strong possibility of reversing this trend, doubling rice production and reducing food insecurity". The article further explains WAAPP/PPAAO (the program that disseminated SRI) and describes the agroecological approach.
Despite several studies conducted on the adoption of Sustainable agricultural technologies, they remain poorly understood in Mali. Thus, research that could inform policies capable of simultaneously addressing low agricultural productivity and environmental degradation is obstructed. To begin to fill this research gap, we use cross-sectional data from rice farmers in Mali. Stochastic production frontier is adopted for rice production and technical efficiency analysis in a one-step estimation using maximum likelihood method. The results reveal that adoption of the system of rice intensification, a sustainable agricultural technology, is consonant with cleaner production concept. Particularly, adopters are more technically efficient than non-adopters. The policy implication is that, if all farmers adopted system of rice intensification, their efficiency would increase by 17% while waste in production would reduce to 4.8%. Therefore, our study puts forward substantial empirical evidence to encourage the adoption of system of rice intensification as it could eventually enhance agricultural sustainability.
La Direction régionale de l’agriculture de Gao, en partenariat avec le Centre d’innovations vertes pour le secteur agro-alimentaire (CIV) de la coopération allemande au développement (GIZ), a organisé, jeudi dernier, une journée porte ouverte sur le Système de riziculture intensive (SRI). La parcelle vitrine n°10 de feu Abdoul Aziz Moussa à Forgho Almata a servi de cadre à cette activité.
Le maire de la commune de Soni Ali Ber, Abdoul Razack Maïga, dira que sa commune possède 22.000 ha irrigables. Ici, avec le SRI et le PASSIP, les conditions de vie des paysans ont été améliorées et aujourd’hui ils ne vont plus à l’exode parce qu’ils parviennent surtout à économiser. Il a invité les techniciens de l’agriculture et leurs partenaires à consolider cette pratique et à accompagner les agriculteurs afin que l’agriculture nourrisse son homme.
BAGUINEDA, Mali, Oct 19 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When rice farmers started producing yields nine times larger than normal in the Malian desert near Timbuktu a decade ago, a passerby could have mistaken the crop for another desert mirage. Rather, it was the result of a feat that has left experts in this impoverished nation in awe - but one that has yet to spread widely through Mali’s farming community. “We must redouble efforts to get political leaders on board,” said Djiguiba Kouyaté, a coordinator in Mali for German development agency GIZ.
With hunger a constant menace, Malians are cautiously turning to a controversial farming technique, known as rice intensification (SRI), to adapt to the effects of climate change.
SRI-Rice's insight:
There is also a French version of this article on the Bamada.net website: Système de riziculture intensive au Mali peut-il être transformé en «or blanc»?
Fifty-five-year old Boureima Sanogo has been cultivating rice since he was 15. With traditional cultivation methods on a hectare of land in the rainy season, the most yield he could get was four tons.
But since the introduction of a new cultivation method known as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), an improved water management system, and drought-tolerant seed varieties, not only does he cultivate twice a year, but his yield also has doubled. Sanago now producers about 14 tons of rice every year. Before SRI, his maximum yearly income barely went above 500.000 FCFA (USD 1000). But when you include off-season cultivation, he now makes close 2.5 million (USD 5000) from his 14 tons. One ton of rice now sells in Mali at about 175.000 FCFA (USD 350). For a country where most people, particularly in rural households, live on about USD 2 per day, this is considerably above the country’s median income.
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is helping bring rural farmers closer to food self-sufficiency in over 50 countries with the help of organizations like the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF). It can potentially reduce water use, increase land productivity, and provide a buffer against the impacts of climate change while reducing reliance on artificial inputs, like pesticides and artificial fertilizer.
Bamada.net - Après une première phase couronnée par une conférence débat organisée, le mercredi 21 septembre dernier, par le Réseau des Journalistes Scientifiques (RJS) en partenariat avec PASSIP, une dizaine de journalistes étaient sur le terrain à San du vendredi 23 au samedi 24 septembre 2016 pour rencontrer les paysans de cette localité qui sont en train de révolutionner la culture du riz à travers la technique SRI (Système de Riziculture Intensif), devenant ainsi une référence nationale et même sous-régionale.
SRI-Rice's insight:
A dozen journalists traveled to San, Mali, on September 23-24, 2016, to meet with farmers that are revolutionizing rice cultivation through the SRI technique, which is becoming a national, and even regional, benchmark.
Erika Styger 's presentation "Scaling Up Climate-smart Rice Production in West Africa" presented on February 11, 2016 Cornell University's Issues in African Development Seminar Series
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More details of this project can be found on the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) site and a Dec. 2022 Cornell Chronicle article.