SRI Global News: Nov. 2024 - Jan. 2025 *SRI-Rice -- System of Rice Intensification

Studies were conducted in farmers' fields during 2019  in three provinces in southern Iraq to compare SRI methods with farmers’ conventional farming methods (CFM) in terms of grain yield and components of yield. The results of the study were presented by Khidhir Abbas Hameed at the Scientific Symposium held at Muthanna University, Iraq, on Jan. 13, 2020. In all cases, SRI had a more favorable effect on grain yield and components of yield when compared to CFM. SRI also produced higher grain yield: 25.6% in at Muthanna province, 24.5% in Najaf province, and 13.2% in Diwaniya province.

This study showed that SRI can produce higher yield (>25%) and better plant performance with increased resilience. At the same time, SRI reduces water requirements by >25%, which is important due to the severe water shortages in Iraq. As an environment-friendly, input-saving and yield-enhancing strategy, the Ministry of Agriculture of Iraq has included SRI as one of the components of its National High Yielding Rice Seeds Production Program.