The Southeast Asia SRI Regional Network (SeaSRI) official website has been officially launched (https://seasri.org/)! This regional network was formed at the 6th International Rice Congress held in Manila in October 2023. It was constituted by representatives of SRI national networks in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Myanmar, with Vietnamese colleagues also supportive of this initiative but not present. SeaSRI is a collaborative network dedicated to promoting SRI practices throughout Southeast Asia. It brings together academics, researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders to embrace this environmentally friendly and economically viable approach, with the ultimate goal of enhancing food security and farmer well-being in Southeast Asia.
New and ‘improved’ rice varieties have contributed greatly to increased production over the past 50 years, but the rate of rice yield increase based on genetic changes has declined in recent decades compared with the early years of the Green Revolution. In fact, many rice consumers continue to prefer to consume ‘traditional’ rice varieties because of their taste, aroma, texture, and other qualities. Furthermore, many farmers prefer to cultivate these varieties because of their better adaptation to local climatic and soil conditions and their evolved resistance to endemic stresses.
The practices that comprise the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) provide traditional rice varieties with micro-environments that are more favorable for the expression of their genetic and agronomic potentials. Interactions among rice plants, soil characteristics, water, energy, and other inputs improve the phenotypic and physiological performance of rice plants. This paper considers how the cultivation of traditional rice varieties with SRI methods can raise yields, reduce farmers’ costs of production, and generate higher incomes while contributing to the conservation of rice biodiversity.
Like many nations, Vietnam’s growth prospects are challenged by conflicting objectives. The ruling Communist Party aims to reach high-income status by 2045, which would improve wellbeing indicators. But the Party has also committed to various environmental targets... Farmers in the Mekong Delta have sought to increase rice production with high-yielding seeds and chemical fertilisers. This intensive cultivation has degraded soil quality, which is feared to reduce overall soil fertility and crop yields over time. To prevent unsustainable internal developments from stifling future growth, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has supported System of Rice Intensification methods aimed at increasing rice yields while reducing costs and water usage. Recent studies indicate that greater coordination between farmers and the government — as well as increased training — is required for its implementation.
In the recent SRI Forum facilitated by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), stakeholders urged the government to promote SRI adoption. As conventional rice production practices become increasingly unprofitable, many farmers are turning to SRI.
Dept. of Agriculture undersecretary for rice industry development Leocadio Sebastian said that while the country has been left behind by other countries in terms of reaping the benefits of the modern system of rice growing, SRI has a big future in the Philippines. The government is committing to SRI a budget of P250 million, which has been approved by the House of Representatives for its implementation; a bigger budget would be allocated for SRI in the future.
Rice farming is a crucial component of agriculture in the Philippines, given that rice is a staple food for the majority of the population. It plays a vital role in the agricultural landscape, supporting the livelihoods of millions of farmers and contributing significantly to the nation's food security.
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an innovative and sustainable rice cultivation methodology that originated in Madagascar in the 1980s. It focuses on improving rice yields while using fewer resources, promoting environmental sustainability, and increasing the resilience of rice crops. SRI has gained recognition and adoption in various rice-growing regions around the world, including the Philippines.
The adoption of the System of Rice Intensification in the Philippines and other countries reflects a shift towards more sustainable and resource-efficient agricultural practices. Farmers, agricultural researchers, and policymakers continue to explore and refine the implementation of SRI to enhance its impact on rice production and sustainability.
🖐 Have you ever heard of Adan rice? It is the heirloom rice of the Lun Bawang people in Sarawak, Malaysia, and holds great value possibly as Sarawak’s best-kept culinary secret. Local farmers in Ba’ Kelalan are adopting a chemical-free farming method called System of Rice Intensification (SRI). This SRI farming project started with 12 participating farmers in 2017, and the number has grown to 53 farmers in 2022.
SRI provides a win-win situation for farmers and ecosystems. 👉 It increases paddy yield which brings income to the farmers. 👉 It reduces the need to open up more forests for rice cultivation. 👉 It reduces negative agricultural impacts on the environment by eliminating pesticide and chemical fertiliser uses.
Sampai tahun 2015 pengembangan System of Rice Intensification (SRI) tumbuh dan berkembang luas. Sistem ini diinisiasi oleh seorang pastur dalam membantu petani miskin yang daya beli pupuk dan pestisidanya terbatas. Teknologi SRI sudah banyak dikembangkan hampir di seluruh Indonesia, namun seiring atensi pemerintah menurun, maka pengembangan SRI yang mengarah ke produk organik semakin meredup. Saat ini adalah momentum kebangkitan bagi SRI ketika harga pupuk dan bahan baku pupuk mahal dan sulit didapat. Pertanyaannya adalah, apakah SRI itu, sehingga harus dikembangkan merespon dinamika perubahan strategis global, regional dan lokal?...
SRI-Rice's insight:
SRI methods have throughout much of Indonesia, but as the government's attention to SRI has decreased since 2015, the dissemination of organic SRI through government programs has decreased as well. This article, posted on the Directorate of Food Crops website by a "young expert" suggest how SRI dissemination might become more prominent, how this will help the country, and why now is the right time.
Conventional rice production systems (CRPS) with continuous flooding demand much water. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an alternative management strategy to sustainably maintain rice yields while optimizing water use. We investigated whether different management translates into differences in soil parameters. Two rice production systems were compared on the same soil types, at four different study sites of D.I. Yogyakarta Province.
Crop yields were estimated, and soils were analysed for soil total soil organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), macro-aggregate stability, and a fungal biomarker (ergosterol) indicative of oxidative soil conditions. Rice yields in the study area were 6.7 - 9 t ha-1. For TOC, the combined effect of management and site was significant; in Kulonprogo and Bantul, SRI significantly exceeded CRPS’ TOC values. However, a significant management effect was observed for ergosterol and DOC concentrations. Significantly higher ergosterol concentrations in SRI vs CRPS were found in Sleman and Bantul. DOC was significantly higher under SRI compared to CRPS only in Sleman. DOC and ergosterol were most responsive to management and were improved in SRI systems. The observed site-specific effects suggest the importance to consider site conditions for adapting management strategies
Farmers in Binh Thuan who have implemented a rice production model based on SRI (the System of Rice Intensification) have discovered that the method greatly reduces input costs and increases income.
...According to the Binh Thuan Agricultural Extension Center, the province has produced 1,100ha of rice using the SRI technology so far. The Center will continue to develop models in important rice-growing districts of the province in the future years, with the goal of creating a concentrated, high-quality commercial rice-producing area. In 2022, the Center will establish a model of intensive rice production using the SRI method, which is certified VietGAP and provides chain-link traceability, on size of around 20ha in the rice area of Tanh Linh district.
Evapotranspirative irrigation is a simple idea in a watering field based on the actual evapotranspiration rate, by operating an automatic floating valve in the inlet without electric power to manage water levels. The current study introduces a model of evapotranspirative irrigation and its application under different water levels. The objectives were (1) to evaluate the performances of evapotranspirative irrigation under various irrigation regimes, and to (2) to observe crop and water productivities of the system of rice intensification (SRI) as affected by different types of irrigation. The experiment was performed during one rice planting season, starting from July to November 2020, with three irrigation regimes, i.e., continuous flooded (CFI), moderate flooded (MFI) and water-saving irrigation (WSI). Developing a better drainage system can improve the system. Among the regimes, the WSI regime was most effective in water use. It was able to increase water productivity by up to 14.5% while maintaining the crop yield. In addition, it has the highest water-use efficiency index. The index was 34% and 52% higher than those of the MFI and CFI regimes, respectively. Accordingly, the evapotranspirative irrigation was effective in controlling various water levels, and we recommend the system implemented at the field levels.
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) aims to plant a single seedling and care for it well so it will yield more rice and reduce the amount of water needed to produce it! At ECHO Asia we grow rice using this system, having several trainings per year that involve participants in the process of planting and harvest!
KOTA KINABALU: A food security project that saw communities from two villages in Sabah yielding 28 tonnes of rice from 32 varieties is set to scale up ...with programs in Kg Lapasan Ulu and Kg Tinuhan in Tuaran being expanding to include nearby Kg Wangkod and Kg Timbou. This will increase participation in Projek Padi to 121 farming families on 194 acres. Facilitated by Forever Sabah (FS) with a Yayasan Hasanah Special Grant, citizen scientists from these villages worked with participating farmers to assess the results of organic and System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methods... "Although the long-established way of planting and managing rice planting seems easier, it is not comparable to SRI and organic methods as the latter produces more yield for us.”
Mataram, DS-Gubernur NTB, Dr. H. Zulkieflimansyah, SE., M.Sc., berharap sistem tanam padi dengan kombinasi Metode System of Rice Intensification (SRI) – Jajar Legowo (Jarwo) pada Program Integrated Farming System (IFS), dapat meningkatkan produksi petani. Pesan tersebut disampaikan Doktor Zul, pada kegiatan panen padi sistem tanam SRI kombinasi Jarwo, Kamis (15/7/2021), di Dusun Dasan Baru Tojong-Ojong, Desa Selebung, Kecamatan Batukliang Loteng.
SRI-Rice's insight:
Mataram, DS-NTB Governor, Dr. H. Zulkieflimansyah, SE., M.Sc., hopes that the rice planting system with the combination of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) – Jajar Legowo (Jarwo) method in the Integrated Farming System (IFS) Program, can increase farmers' production. The message was delivered by Dr. Zul at the Jarwo combination SRI planting system rice harvesting activity, Thursday (15/7/2021), in Dasan Baru Tojong-Ojong Hamlet, Selebung Village, Batukliang Loteng District, NTB, Indonesia.
For the Java area, usually to produce rice using non-SRI methods, it takes between 3000-4000 liters of water to grow 1 kilo of rice. Using SRI, we only need about 750 liters of water per kilo of rice. This is a dramatic difference.
...SRI is definitely more women friendly. Because it uses 90% less seedlings with single seedlings planted wider apart, women can save time when planting. The time saved is used to gather food for their animals which are valuable sources for compost and extra income. Now they can expand their livestock numbers. Also, the women have less skin disease because they are not working in flooded fields and have fewer cases of malaria.
BA’KELALAN, Jan 31: The System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a sustainable farming project supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) in partnership with CIMB Islamic, began in Ba'Kelalan and has now expanded to four additional villages...
The SRI rice farming project stands as a shining example of how collaboration between local communities, corporate partners, and conservation organisations can create a lasting positive impact on both people and the environment. According to WWF-Malaysia, this expansion reflects the positive impact and widespread acceptance of SRI as it promotes chemical-free farmers and employs targeted methods to reduce pests like the golden apple snail....
Seorang pria di Kota Banjar, Jawa Barat hampir separuh hidupnya fokus wujudkan gagasan selamatkan bumi dengan pertanian organik. Dalam perjalanan hidupnya, ia mengembangkan System of Rice Intensification atau SRI di bidang pertanian. Alik Sutaryat, warga Lingkungan Sukarame, Kelurahan Mekarsari, Kecamatan Banjar yang kini berusia 63 tahun itu sejak tahun 1991 berjuang menyelamatkan bumi dan masa depan.
Aliksa Organik SRI Consultant yang ia dirikan, hingga saat ini sudah sekitar 47000 orang yang belajar langsung melalui berbagai pelatihan. Bukan hanya dari wilayah Kecamatan Lakbok, Kabupaten Ciamis yang menjadi awal mula ia berjuang, namun di berbagai daerah di Jawa Barat. Bahkan, Alik menyebut yang belajar sistem pertanian organik tersebut dari berbagai provinsi yang ada di Indonesia, seperti Aceh, Sulawesi, Kalimantan dan provinsi lainnya. Dari puluhan ribu petani yang belajar itu, ia pun mengklaim lahan yang dikelola secara organik seluas 10.320 hektar. Alik menilai, saat ini di Indonesia terjadi kerapuhan alam pertanian dan kerapuhan pangan.
SRI-Rice's insight:
Alik Sutaryat, of Mekarsari Village in Banjar District of West Java has focused almost half of his 63 years on realizing the idea of saving the earth with organic farming. For the last several decades, he promoted the System of Rice Intensification or SRI. Through his organization, Aliksa Organik SRI Consultant, around 47,000 people have participated directly in his trainings-- not only in West Java, where his began is work, but in Aceh, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and other Indonesian provinces. From the tens of thousands of farmers trained, he has had an influence on 10,320 hectares of organically managed land.
Burmese language video on transplanting and Inter-cultivation with SRI: 'စပါးအစွမ်းဖွင့်စိုက်ပျိုးရေး' အပိုင်း (၂) ကောက်စိုက်ခြင်း၊ ပေါင်းထိုးတမန်းနှိုးခြင်း. This is part of a series of 3 SRI videos on the C4RD channel (YouTube), which features Thein Su, Myanmar's most active SRI trainer.
The capability of endophytic Trichoderma spp. to reduce sheath blight disease in rice caused by Rhizoctonia solani was assessed under the growth conditions established by practices of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), compared to those of standard irrigated rice cultivation. Rice seeds inoculated with a local isolate of the fungus Trichoderma asperellum SL2 were grown under respective SRI and conventional conditions with the inoculated or uninoculated plants and then infected with the pathogen R. solani. It was seen that inoculation with this strain of Trichoderma protected rice plants against R. solani infection while enhancing plant growth, photosynthetic rate, and stomatal conductance. The biocontrol effectiveness of inoculation with a particular strain of Trichoderma was significantly greater under SRI management compared to conventional cultivation. This is the first report on how a crop management system, in this case, SRI, can influence the biocontrol effectiveness of Trichoderma spp.
This is a presentation made by Febri Doni at the International Conference on System of Crop Intensification (SCI) in Hyderabad, India, December 12-14, 2023. The Indonesian SRI Network (IndoSRInet) has a newly revised website: https://indosrinet.org/. Check out what's going on with SRI in one of the largest countries (by population) in the world!
SRI-Rice's insight:
On Feb. 15, 2023, IndoSRInet (Indonesia's national SRI network), held an "open house" to welcome new members, plan upcoming activities, and review research findings. All SRI stakeholders are welcome. Contact the network https://indosrinet.org/ for more information. (Interesting to note that research on SRI has been published by over 50+ universities and several government agencies in Indonesia!)
(Baliekbis.com), Sukses menanam padi organik dengan pola SRI (System of Rice Intensification), petani di Manggis Karangasem kini melanjutkannya dengan penanaman
SRI-Rice's insight:
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Organic SRI farmers in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia, are finding good results with adapting their SRI fields to "ratooning" [production of a second rice crop from the stubble after the harvest of the main crop].
(VAN) Since the beginning of the year 2000, SRI has been implemented in Hanoi, and hardly any localities in the Red River Delta can foster the continuous implementation of SRI like the capital city.
The share of countries that referenced rice cultivation actions in new and updated National Determined Contributions (NDCs) has increased since the previous round of NDCs. Among the top 10 countries with the highest mitigation potential for rice cultivation, 4 countries mentioned rice mitigation actions. Seventeen countries quantified measures for rice cultivation in their new and updated NDCs, for the first time. ... 56% of countries mentioning adaptation actions in rice prioritized water management (10 of 18 countries), 33% mentioned System of Rice Intensification (SRI) (6), and 33% mentioned variety development (6). [An online spreadsheet linked to this article notes how many countries mentioned SRI by name in their NDCs with rice-related adaptation or mitigation (or both) plans (9 of 29 countries): Mitigation that included SRI: Dominican Republic, Senegal, and Mali and Adaptation that included SRI: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Togo]
SRI-Rice's insight:
Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of these long-term goals. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The Lutheran World Federation Myanmar and its partners in the Alliance of Churches Together (ACT Alliance) have been working in Kayin state since 2017 to improve the capacities of communities and families to practice sustainable livelihoods. In 2019, the programme introduced a more climate-resilient method of rice cultivation called the “System of Rice Intensification (SRI)”.
Congratulations to Febri Doni, Novizar Nazir, and their team for initiating the new Indonesian SRI Network! IndoSRInet is a new non-profit organization working to improve food security in Indonesia through the adoption of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and other agroecological approaches related to SRI.
SRI-Rice's insight:
See also IndoSRInet's new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndoSRInet. The new Indonesian SRI network builds on the previous Ina-SRI network that was active for nearly a decade.
The world is facing a “cannonball” experience caused by Covid-19. The event of 20 February involving a violation of quarantine protocols caused the virus to spread in Cambodia and create some panic. In a little over four months the number of cases, which was only 522 for over a year, is now over 61,000 and nearly 825 deaths.
Programmes involving school children are facing major setbacks because of school closures. Schools can open in August or September depending on the situation, but that is a few months after the beginning of the rice planting season. Nonetheless, at Xavier Jesuit School, seedlings were prepared for some students to practice the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). With this project, students will be able to compare the input cost per yield per hectare of SRI with traditional rice planting methods.
The changing climate has brought havoc to small farming communities as rice crops have been damaged due to strong winds, floods and droughts. The USAID/CDP Project PROSPER set out to try SRI methods to help mitigate the effects of climate change and at the same time make use of indigenous materials for rice production without sacrificing farm yield. Two rice farming villages in the Municipalities of Ramon Magsaysay and Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur were chosen for the Climate Resiliency Farm School (CRFS) that ran from October 2020 to March 2021.
Following a number of presentations and discussions, two sets of plots --one for SRI and one for conventional chemical farming-- were prepared. Many farmers were surprised by the outcomes: SRI plots had less wind damage, less pest damage, and similar or higher yields than the conventional plots. Fifty-seven farmers completed the program; all planned to continue using SRI. Additional CRFS/SRI trainings are planned. The SRI Pilipinas network will continue its aggressive advocacy program for organic System of Rice Intensification throughout the Philippines
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