In Belgium and The Netherlands, bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is getting attention. The few varieties available are pure lines that do not match the range of environments and organic farming practices, so yields and milling quality are often disappointing.
Composite Cross Populations (CCP) have been created with the idea of evolutionary plant breeding through on-farm mass selection and seed saving. In 2015–2016, one CCP of winter wheat was cropped side by side with a pure line variety in four organic farms with different wheat cropping practices. Seeding rates ranged from the standard high to the very low ones practiced under the System of Wheat Intensification (SWI). Multivariate data analysis confirmed greater differentiation of the CCP both compared with pure line varieties and within populations where inter-plant competition was less intense. Low seeding rates seem to enhance phenotypic expression potential of a CCP, yet this is often neglected by plant breeders. Since both CCP and SWI have great potential for ecological intensification within organic farming, more work is needed to combine innovation in farming practices and on-farm plant breeding.
Climate change and climate variability create hurdles for food security and agriculture- based livelihoods, and acts as an obstacle to the economic growth of the people of Manipur, India.
The Directorate of Environment has introduced the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) to reduce GHG emissions and improve agricultural productivity in Phayeng village where a project to transform the village to a carbon-positive eco model village is in progress. Twenty-one farmers covering about 12 hectares of land were selected based on their interest and field conditions for a pilot study of SRI. Recent changes in the climate are affecting the Phayeng ecosystem services in terms of agricultural sectors and food insecurities.
A high potential is seen in SRI to help secure livelihoods and to enhance resilience to expected adverse impacts of climate change. SRI can be applied with both irrigated and rain-fed rice systems. The most vulnerable people and vulnerable economic sectors like agriculture will be given attention on priority basis.
Rockflower is excited to report significant progress in the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) project, which is aimed at transforming rice farming in the Oti Region of Ghana. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with One Africa Research Development and Extension Programme (OARDEP).
Since the project's inception, OARDEP has successfully increased the number of participating farmers to 141, with an emphasis on including women and girls, who now make up 85% of the participants. This expansion is critical in a region where 87% of the population engages in agricultural, predominantly rice cultivation. The project now encompasses five communities—Bala, Mate, Avegeme, Todome, and Abrani.
"Mainstreaming SRI in Southeast Asia: From Trichoderma to th SE Asia Regional Network" is a PowerPoint presentation by Febri Doni delivered at the Harry ’51 and Joshua ’49 Tsujimoto" Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series, Cornell University, on September 4. 2024. [SEE VIDEO OF THIS EVENT HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbfv80I8h_w ]
This study assesses the impact of three cultivation methods (wetland, SRI, and direct seeding) on the biochemical properties and bacterial communities within the rice rhizosphere across three key growth stages: tillering, flowering, and maturity. The results deepened our understanding of how different cultivation practices influence plant-microbe interactions and their implications for overall rice productivity and soil health. Soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), dehydrogenase, substrate-induced respiration (SIR), and metabolic quotient (MQ) were assessed along with high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing of rice rhizosphere soils.
The rice rhizosphere soil under the SRI registered the highest SOC, MBC, and dehydrogenase followed by wetland and least in direct seeded aerobic cultivation. Cultivation methods caused notable shifts in the abundance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi, while crop growth stages affected the abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidetes. Based on these results, the SRI method brings higher diversification to the rhizosphere bacteriobiota, as well as greater incorporation of carbon into the soil and increased dehydrogenase activity compared to the wetland and aerobic rice.
The impact of climate change on methane (CH4) emissions from rice production in the Coimbatore region of Tamil Nadu was studied utilizing the closed-chamber method for gas collection and gas chromatography analysis. This study identified differences in CH4 emissions between conventional cultivation methods and the system of rice intensification (SRI). Experimental data were subsequently used to guide parametrization and validation of the DeNitrification–DeComposition (DNDC) model.
The validated model was then used to develop future CH4 emissions projections under various shared socio-economic pathways for the mid- (2021–2050) and late (2051–2080) century. The analysis revealed a potential increase in CH4 emissions for the simulated scenarios, which was dependent on specific soil and irrigation management practices. Conventional cultivation produced the highest CH4 emissions. The findings underscored an urgency to develop climate-smart location-specific mitigation strategies focused on simultaneously improving current water and nutrient management practices. This research also highlighted the critical interaction that exists between agricultural practices and climate change, and emphasized the need to implement adaptive crop management strategies that can sustain productivity and mitigate the environmental impacts of rice-based systems in southern India.
The Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP), under the National Executing Entity (NEE-CHAP), is spearheading the Scaling up of Climate Resilient Rice Production Project organized by the Rice Production Improvement Consortium of West Africa (RICOWAS) in Liberia. In Liberia, RICOWAS targets 13,620 farmers across 2,641 hectares in six project zones. Training sessions, including a TOT in Montserrado County and five other project zones, focus on SRI and CRRP, aiming to strengthen the skills of extension service providers and farmers
A scientific symposium on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was organized by Directorate of Agricultural Research on August 6, 2024, in the Birah Magrun sub-district of Dokan district (30 km west of Salymania Governorate). More than 75 government officials, technical staff, and rice farmers attended this symposium; ten farmers expressed a desire to try out SRI methods.Khidhir Abbas Hameed presented a seminar entitled “Positive Opportunities of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) under Current Conditions of Climate Change,” which included justifications for implementing SRI in the Kurdistan Region; overview of SRI principles/practices; and the with SRI methods in the Al-Mishkhab Rice Research Station (MRRS) plots and on farmers' fields in central and southern Iraq.
SRI-Rice's insight:
The effort to bring SRI to Iraqi Kurdistan is especially welcome given the unrest in this region of Iraq over the past few years. This is the second SRI symposium in Kurdistan during the past year, the first taking place in Erbil in May 2024. Thanks to Khidhir Abbas Hameed, a long-time member of the global SRI community, for continuing to expand the borders of the SRI world.
Rice consumption in Angola, like in many other African nations, is rising due to shifts in eating habits and population growth. The surge in consumption combined with low domestic production and productivity has led to a consistent rise in rice imports. In 2021 the State Treasury of Angola spent over US$260 million on rice imports.
During a February 2024 African Paddy Rice Greenhouse Gas Mitigation workshop, Eng. Carlos Francisco Canza, Angola's focal point within the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) from the Rural Extension Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, learned about SRI. Elielda Lopes Fernandes, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) Manager for Food and Agriculture in Angola, was also interested in SRI, and with SRI-2030 knowledge materials, they transplanted the rice seedlings in early July 2024 following SRI principles, marking the first known experimentation of SRI methods in Angola.
Compatibility between Conservation Agriculture (CA) and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Find out more in this PowerPoint presented by Francesco Carnevale Zampaolo, July 24, 2024, at the 9th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Cape Town, South Africa.
Green manuring–system of rice intensification (SRI)–blackgram (rice fallow pulses) cropping system is novel, and appears to be a sustainable approach, combining innovative farming techniques to optimize yields, improve soil health, and minimize environmental impacts. Field demonstrations were conducted on a farmer's field through the National Pulses Research Centre, Vamban, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, within the kharif rabi and summer seasons of 2019–20. The demonstration was conducted in 50 hectares with 92 locations of Ponnaniyar sub-basin.
The improved practice of SRI recorded higher plant height and other yield attributes, including yields from 7580 to 9400 kg ha−1. Concurrently, within the IPT framework for the GM–SRI–Rice fallow pulses cropping system, the yields for Rice fallow Blackgram were 590 to 730 kg ha−1. A remarkable 39.9 percent enhancement in system productivity through the adoption of IPT practicesas well as significantly higher water productivity, The green manure–system of rice intensification–rice fallow pulses crop sequences emerged as the more productive and sustainable option, displaying the potential to enhance soil productivity and fertility status compared to conventional rice–blackgram/groundnut cropping sequences. These systems present promising alternatives for farmers Tamil Nadu's Ponnaniyar sub-basin.
Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) in the northern sector have attended a two-day training workshop during July to enhance their capacity on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technology. The training, organised by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), formed part of the Scaling up of Climate Resilient Rice Production in West Africa (RICOWAS Project). In Ghana, the project is being carried out in the Northern, North East, Upper East, Savannah, Volta, Oti, Western North and the Ashanti Regions.
SRI-Rice's insight:
[Togo also held an SRI trainer event during July]. The 13-country $14 million RICWAS Project in West Africa, which is funded by the Adaptation Fund and supported by Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel Sahara and Sahel Observatory, held the initial region-wide SRI training effort in Cote d'Ivoire, last April. Togo and several other countries have subsequently held national training-of-trainer and extension efforts in mid-2024..
El presente estudio presenta una investigación bibliográfica de trabajos realizados por instituciones de enseñanza superior en el Ecuador sobre el Sistema Intensivo de Cultivar Arroz (SICA). A esta investigación se le añadió la experiencia de los autores siguiendo una secuencia por objetivos. SICA es una práctica de cultivo amigable con el medio ambiente que, a pesar de haber sido introducida en el 2004 y respaldada por varios trabajos de investigación, no ha sido muy difundida entre pequeños y medianos productores.
An article in Agronomy shows that there need not be a trade-off between food security and climate change mitigation. A review of field studies found that SRI is associated with both reduced GHG emissions and higher yield compared with conventional flooded rice farming. The authors found that the mean reduction in emissions per kilogram of rice produced was 48% when SRI is compared with conventional practices. Yield benefits of SRI compounded the already significant reduction in emissions associated with alternate wetting and drying (AWD). The authors recommend that farmers be encouraged to adopt SRI practices given the dual benefits for food security and climate change mitigation. They also cited other benefits of SRI, and call for more research into the potentially even more significant benefits of soil carbon sequestration with SRI. [This article is published in Agronomy's Special Issue on “The System of Rice Intensification (SRI)—Contributions to Agricultural Sustainability”]
The theme of this second webinar (Oct. 24) in the SRI Global Research Network Series is "The Integration of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) with Intercropping." Event speakers were: 1. Francesco Carnevale Zampaolo (SRI-2030, UK) spoke on "Compatibility between Conservation Agriculture and the SRI" 2. Tavseef Mairaj Shah (CinSOIL GmbH & Hamburg University of Technology, Germany) spoke on "iRice - Intercropping Beans with Rice under the SRI as an Innovative Agroecological Approach" For more info, visit the SRI Global Research Network: https://sri-research.org
Periodic rice health inspections are an essential part of agricultural production management in Vietnam, especially in advanced models like high-quality, low-emission rice. For the model in Cần Thơ, periodic inspections ensure rice meets high-quality standards as well as helping optimize cultivation practices to minimize emissions. This approach not only brings economic benefits but also contributes to environmental protection. Thanks to advanced techniques such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), efficient water management, and the use of organic fertilizers, the rice is not only thriving but also helping to reduce harmful emissions. The 1 Million Hectare Rice Program in Cần Thơ promises to bring about positive changes and create new opportunities for farmers and Vietnam’s agricultural sector. -- Vijafarm Limited Company
Lonah Anyango Okumu, a 63-year-old Kenyan farmer from Kisumu in the Western region, transformed from a housewife to a successful rice farmer over four decades.Today, Lonah has grown into one of the biggest commercial farmers, not only in Kisumu, but the entire Western Region. Through education and adoption of SRI and other innovative farming techniques, she increased her yields significantly, improving her family's livelihood and educating her seven children to university level. Her success has inspired other women in her community to become landowners and farmers, revolutionising gender roles in agriculture.
WEEDBLAZER merupakan alat pembasmian gulma presisi pada lahan padi SRI menggunakan laser. WEEDBLAZER menggunakan baterai akumulator sebagai sumber daya. WEEDBLAZER dilengkapi dengan panel surya untuk pengisian ulang daya baterai sehingga memungkinkan alat beroperasi dalam jangka waktu lama, selama terdapat energi matahari yang dapat diserap oleh photovoltaic. --PKM KC 2024 IPB University
WEEDBLAZER is an autonomous precision weeding tool for SRI rice fields made as a prototype by students at IPB University in Indonesia. It uses an accumulator battery as a power source and is equipped with a solar panel for recharging the battery. WEEDBLAZER works with the deep learning object detection algorithm that allows the laser to precisely shoot the centroid point of the detected weed. It is hoped that WEEDBLAZER can increase the efficiency of weed eradication without damaging and polluting the environment.
Validación de tecnologías del Sistema Intensivo del Cultivo de Arroz (SICA) sobre prácticas agrícolas arroceras para mejorar la productividad y el uso eficiente de agua.. Parcela Piloto SICA - Comunidad de Buenos Aires, Corregimiento El Bebedero del Distrito de Tonosí, Provincia de Los Santos.
SRI-Rice's insight:
Validation of SRI (SICA in Spanish) to improve productivity and efficient use of water in rice production. SICA Pilot Plot - Community of Buenos Aires, Corregimiento El Bebedero of the District of Tonosí, Province of Los Santos, Panama. .
It’s late summer and the rice is high and ready for harvest. Nazirahk Amen of Purple Mountain Grown in Maryland (USA) has been growing rice for almost a decade and today he is harvesting one of the seven varieties that he grows and sells. Find our more about how he has adapted the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) for conditions on his farm in Prince Georges County, Maryland.
The Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP) is implementing Climate Smart Agriculture under the Livelihood Innovation Food Security Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Project with funding from Irish Aid through Concern Worldwide Liberia. The project, which began in Grand Bassa, Liberia, during 2023 and extended to Rivercess in February 2024, is currently working with 25 smallholder farmers per community, which comprises a total of 214 smallholder farmers who are being introduced to the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) for rice cultivation.
Since the introduction of the SRI in Grand Bassa County, farmer groups like the one in Crayton Estate, have been able to grow rice twice in a year with less external inputs. The resulting SRI adoption has proven sustainable for farming thus far and is achieving high yields. In addition to SRI methods for production, CHAP has created a market for the SRI farmers’ out-grower scheme across the country in support of the “I love Liberian rice” domestic rice production in keeping with the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), which includes cultivation of 50,000 ha of lowland rice across the country from 2023 to 2030.
The theme of the first event in the SRI Global Research Webinar series is “Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation with the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)”
Date: 9.00 – 10.30 AM (UTC-4), August 22, 2024
Speakers:
Chusnul Arif (IPB University, Indonesia) will speak on “Managing Water in SRI Paddy Fields to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Maintain Yield“
James Dahlgreen (SRI-2030, UK) will speak on “Harnessing the Climate Credentials of SRI Through Top-down Interventions”
By joining the SRI Global Research Network, you can learn about upcoming webinars in this series and access the Network's newsletter and SRI research database. (visit sri-research.org.for details)
PARIS, FRANCE / ACCESSWIRE / Cornell University and CarbonFarm are announcing the launch of the ClimateRice Initiative. ClimateRice leverages satellite-verified carbon credits to scale the adoption of climate-resilient rice production practices based on the System of Rice (SRI) Intensification, reducing methane emissions by 50%.
Rice production contributes about 10% of the world's methane emissions. Reining in rice methane is a sticky problem. An innovative SRI method developed in Madagascar in the 1980s increases yields and has the promise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Also covered is the collaboration between cooperative efforts of Chinese and US researchers to develop perennial rice that could be a game changer for our ever-warming planet. [This is a production of Sustainable Asia podcast series.]
Herbicide use may pose a risk of environmental pollution or evolution of resistant weeds. As a result, an experiment was carried out to assess the influence of different non-chemical weed management tactics (one hoeing (HH) at 12 DAS followed by (fb) one hand weeding at 30 DAS, one HH at 12 DAS fb Sesbania co-culture and its mulching, one HH at 12 DAS fb rice straw mulching @ 4t ha−1, one HH at 12 DAS fb rice straw mulching @ 6 t ha−1) on weed control, crop growth and yield, and economic returns in direct-seeded rice (DSR).
Zero-till seed drill-sown crop (PN) had the lowest weed density at 25 days after sowing (DAS), while square planting geometry (PS) had the lowest weed density at 60 DAS. PS also resulted in a lower weed management index (WMI), agronomic management index (AMI), and integrated weed management index (IWMI), as well as higher growth attributes, grain yield (4.19 t ha–1), and net return (620.98 US$ ha–1). In the case of weed management treatments, one HH at 12 DAS fb Sesbania co-culture and its mulching had the lowest weed density at 25 DAS. However, one hoeing at 12 DAS fb one hand weeding at 30 DAS (HH + WH) achieved the highest grain yield (4.85 t ha–1) and net returns (851.03 US$ ha–1) as well as the lowest weed density at 60 DAS. PS × HH + WH treatment combination had the lowest weed persistent index (WPI), WMI, AMI, and IWMI, and the highest growth attributes, production efficiency, and economic return.
SRI-Rice's insight:
As we move toward more integration of SRI with CA and direct-seeding, these studies are becoming more important!
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