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In a bid to boost agriculture production, the government has managed to increase irrigation areas by 233,715 hectares in the past five years.
The National Irrigation Commission (NIRC), Acting Director General, Mr Daudi Kaali, noted "NIRC has been able to rehabilitate 179 irrigation schemes' infrastructures in a period of five years, most of these were supported through System of Rice Intensification (SRI)." 
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Improvement of irrigation infrastructure in Mbeya Region has increased the area of irrigated land from 49,117 hectares in 2018 to 71,890 hectares this year, thanks to the initiative made by the government through the National Irrigation Commission (NIRC) . …A senior agricultural officer from NIRC, Mnadi Taribo said that the commission has been providing training on new methods of rice farming called 'system of rice intensification (SRI)’. According to him, the new system of rice farming doubles rice production per acre, citing Madibira scheme as one example whereby through SRI production has increased to 9.3 tonnes per hectare, from 7.2 tonnes per hectare (traditional farming). In Uturo scheme, the SRI method increased production to 13 tonnes per hectare from 5.7 tonnes (traditional farming). Taribo further explained that SRI methods help increase yields by over 30 percent while using 40 percent less water than conventional methods.
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...Efforts to improve rice productivity in Njage village in Tanzania's Iringa region have been ongoing for several years. The system of rice intensification (SRI) was introduced in 2009 through the collective efforts of the district extension services, Kilombero Plantation Limited (KPL), USAID, and others. The combined effect of using SRI the variety SARO 5 has improved rice productivity from 10 bags/acre on average, to up to 35–40 bags (8600–9800 Kg/ha).
Improved rice productivity attracted the interest of USDA, World bank and local NGOs to support Njage rice farmers under CWAUNJA, a rice farmer irrigation scheme association, in their efforts to improve irrigation, storage and processing infrastructure.
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Adoption of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) has transformed farmers’ livelihoods in Rukwa and Katavi regions by doubling rice production per acre, thanks to the second-phase of Tanzania Agricultural Partnership (TAP II) initiative.
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Tanzania’s Government launched the Expanding Rice Production Project (ERPP) in 2015 to boost rice production, increase food security and strengthen the country’s agricultural sector. The ERPP, which commenced in Morogoro and Zanzibar, is focused on improving agricultural practices for small-scale farmers and farms run by women.
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Les Champs Ecoles Producteurs (CEP) ont permis aux riziculteurs de la commune Gihanga d’accroître considérablement la production. Le CEP est une approche comparative entre la pratique dite paysanne et le Système de Riziculture Intensive (SRI) qui est une méthode mieux adaptée pour aider les riziculteurs à rompre avec l’ancienne pratique. Le SRI donne aux agriculteurs une bonne production sans engager beaucoup de dépenses. « Le système n’exige pas beaucoup de semences comme c’est le cas pour l’ancienne pratique: une seule graine peut produire suffisamment ».
SRI-Rice's insight:
The Farmer Field Schools (FFS) allowed rice farmers in Gihanga commune to significantly increase production. FFS helps rice farmers break with the old practice. SRI gives farmers good production without spending a lot of money. "The system does not require a lot of seeds as is the case with the old practice: only one seed can produce enough as long as the golden rule is followed."
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The most notable [SRI benefits] are savings on water use and increase in yield. Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) has also paved way for mechanical weed control in paddy fields. One of the major constraints to adoption of SRI is the perceived increased labour input due to the careful transplanting and frequent weed control. This paper evaluates the effect of mechanization on labour input in SRI in comparison to the less mechanized farmer practice. In attempt to reduce drudgery in transplanting under SRI, the drum seeder was used to establish the rice crop by direct seeding. This was then followed by using SRI practices i.e. AWD and mechanical weeding. Direct seeding using a drum seeder was compared to transplanting in both SRI and the common farmer practice. Hand weeding was also evaluated and compared to mechanical weeding. Labour input cost was also compared to the income accrued from the yields. From the study, it was noted that direct seeding using the drum seeder reduced labour input by 97% compared to transplanting. This was possible in that in direct seeding, and there was no nursery preparation and management as in transplanting. The use of a mechanical weeder reduced labour input by 28.3% in relation to hand weeding. Labour input cost for SRI was cheaper (Kshs. 124,080 per hectare) compared to the common farmer practice (Kshs. 139,117.50 per hectare). There was more yield from the SRI practice (2.75 Ton/ha) compared to the common farmer practice (1.88 Ton/ha).
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As Monica Awino spreads her rice in the sun to dry at her Nyang’ande home in Nyando, she expects a windfall. For over two decades, Ms Awino toiled and prayed for a better harvest in vain.
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TV news report about SRI from KTN News in Kenya. Find our more about the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Kenya and meet some of the people who are at the forefront of research, spread and adoption of SRI there.
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Presentation by Bancy Mati at the Workshop to Enhance Cooperation and Sharing among SRI National Networks in Asia, held at the Leverage Business Hotel, Skudai, Malaysia. October 18-19, 2018.
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Bancy Mati presented the newly-forming SRI Africa Network at this October event in Malaysia geared towards forming a regional Asia network.
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Zanzibar’s Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Natural Resources, Rashid Ali Juna, revealed that Zanzibar archipelago is set to achieve 60-percent rice self-sufficiency by increasing productivity in the next two years...” We are encouraging farmers to venture into a System of Rice Intensification to boost production so that we reduce rice importation as we’re doing now” he said. Mariam Juma, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Natural Resources described SRI as one of the best farming techniques aimed at increasing rice yields, adding that it is low water, labour-intensive method that uses younger seedlings singly spaced and typically hand weeded with special tools.
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"Future strategies for sustainable food security will need to get greater productivity from available land, labour, water and other resources, producing more food, as much as possible, with reduced inputs. The System of Crop Intensification (SCI) which emerged from an agroecological production strategy developed for rice in Madagascar in the 1980s has shown promise in various countries for raising the yields of diverse crops with less reliance on purchased external inputs, using less seed and needing less water because of enhanced root growth and soil improvement. Here we review the adaptation and application of SCI principles to increasing the production and availability of Ethiopia's most important indigenous grain crop, tef."
SRI-Rice's insight:
Berhe, T., Z. Gebretsadik, and N. Uphoff, N. 2017. Intensification and semi-intensification of tef production in Ethiopia: applications of the System of Crop Intensification. CAB Reviews 12(054): 1-12.
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This project is implemented with technical support from FAO in collaboration with the Government of Tanzania and funded by the Government of Venezuela through the South South Cooperation
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Don't miss this video! There is a surprising story that I think you will enjoy...
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Food security in Kenya is at stake due to decline in farm productivity with an ever-increasing population which is worsened by global warming. Improvement of agricultural productivity may not be realized soon as rice farmers currently uses traditional method of flooding rice which has been reported to result in low rice yields. System of Rice intensification (SRI) provides an opportunity improve rice yields. This study was undertaken in Ahero Irrigation Scheme to compare yield production of conventional and SRI rice production for IR 2793-80-1 cultivar. SRI experiments recorded higher number of effective tillers with experiment having a spacing of 20cm by 20cm and transplanted at 8-11 days, which gave 321 per m2 as compared to 226 effective tillers/m2. Seed yield/plant was highly significant in SRI (39.61 g) as compared to a traditional paddy system (17.32 g). Transplanting rice seedling at the age of 8 to 11 days and at 20cm by 20cm spacing recorded highest seed yield/ha of 4.7 t/ha as compared to traditional flooding which recorded 2.7 t/ha. These results suggest that planting young rice seedlings can improve grain yield, which is likely due to an increase in the of tillers per square meters, plant height and better plant rooting ability.
SRI-Rice's insight:
Citation: Too, Gideon, et al. 2020. Comparative study of rice yield production for conventional paddy rice and Systems of Rice Intensification. American Journal of Water Science and Engineering. 6(2): 70-75. doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20200602.13
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The National Irrigation Board in Kenya is promoting a rice production system (SRI) to improve food security. The programme combines using certified seeds and intensive water management with high levels of farmer sensitization.
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The study assesses the performance of existing conventional paddy irrigation system compared to SRI technology in terms of efficient water use and rice yield and develops alternative irrigation schedules for better rice production grown under limited water supply in surface irrigation. The results were used as inputs to the CROPWAT irrigation management model, which can estimate crop water requirements and net irrigation requirement. Irrigation Water Use (IWU) in the SRI treatments was 2316.7 m3/ha compared to 2966.7 m3/ha in the conventional practice translating to a saving of 21.9%. SRI system demonstrated significantly higher water productivity (0.5 kg/m3) compared to conventional system with 0.3 kg/m3. SRI increased Water Productivity (WP) by 67% while Land Productivity (LP) increased by 59.5%. The study concludes that SRI is capable of producing considerably higher rice yields and substantial saving on irrigation water use as compared to the conventional flooded system. Adapting irrigation scheduling using CROPWAT for SRI will produce a better water management system, which also saves irrigation water.
SRI-Rice's insight:
To cite this article: Too, G., et al. 2020. Analysis of water use in rice production under paddy system and SRI in Ahero Irrigation Scheme, Kenya. African Environmental Review 3(2): 190-198.
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From
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How learning new ways of farming from the youth in his community doubled the rice production of a 63-year old farmer... Students in Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools received training from FAO in System of Rice Intensification (SRI). The young students then taught these methods to other farmers like Zablon. “The young people taught me how to select the best seeds, how to establish a good nursery and about the best time for sowing. They also taught me how to space the seedlings for good results,” Zablon discloses, adding: “This is all new to me! You know, such young minds are still active and productive. So I listen to them.”
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From
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In Tanzania, rice farmers who have long experienced extreme weather events are harnessing climate-smart agricultural techniques to boost their yields, whilst curbing environmental degradation. The 5-year project on Strengthening the Capacity for Climate Change Adaptation through Sustainable Land and Water Management is run by Sokoine University of Agriculture with support from FAO.
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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.
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The SRI-Africa website is the home of the new System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Resource Center for Africa, which is in the early stages of forming a regional network for SRI in Africa. Check out their new pages and also the SRI-Africa Research Database! SRI-Africa is headed by Dr. Bancy Mati at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya.
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Visit the SRI Research Network's Africa Collection, which now has 125 research items. In addition to the 84 journal articles about the System of Rice Intensification in Africa, there are also theses, presentations, and other documents. Join the SRI Research Network (it's free!)
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What's can you find at the SRI Research Network site? Information on upcoming global events, grants, jobs, and educational opportunities. Members can also apply for competitive travel grants to present SRI research at upcoming international events [Open to those in Asia, Africa and Latin America]
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With support from the Government of Venezuela, FAO implemented the Partnership for Sustainable Rice System Development in Africa project, which facilitated the introduction of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). The project is being implemented in three districts (Kilombero, Kilosa and Mvomero) in the Morogoro region which covers five irrigation schemes.
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Rice production is important for global food security but given its large water footprint, efficient irrigation management strategies need to be developed. Expansion of rice growing area is larger than any other crop in Africa due to increasing demand for rice. Three rice irrigation management alternatives with the system of rice intensification (SRI) were field-evaluated against the conventional continuously flooded system (CF) in Tanzania. Production systems included: (1) CF (50 mm ponding depth for the entire season); (2) SRI (40 mm ponding for 3 days and no irrigation for next 5 days); (3) 80% SRI (80% of the SRI ponding); and (4) 50% SRI (50% of the SRI ponding). Statistically, the 80% SRI treatment outperformed all other treatments over the two seasons with an additional yield of 1.57 tons/ha and 33% (345 mm) water savings compared to the CF. Economic productivity of water (US$/ha-cm) over two seasons was highest for the 80% SRI ($20.27/ha-cm), while it was lowest for the CF ($12.89/ha-cm). Water saved by converting from the CF to the 80% SRI (1.98 million ha-cm) can support a 50% expansion in the current rice irrigated area in Tanzania. Even without irrigation expansion, the 80% SRI can increase rice production by 1.5 million tons annually while enhancing water availability for industrial and environmental uses (e.g., ecological preserves) and help achieve food security in Tanzania and the greater sub-Saharan Africa
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From
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Realizing the potential of rice production as a major source of employment and income generation in the agricultural sector, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Tanzania have teamed up to implement the Partnership for Sustainable Rice System Development project to boost rice production. This led to the creation of a knowledge-sharing program for 104 youth comprising of 53 males and 51 females, together with 15 extension officers and irrigation technicians in Morogoro region of Tanzania. The objective of the program was to enable the youth to share experiences and success stories after training at Mkindocentre which led to the establishment of demonstration plots in Kilombero, Kilosa and Mvomero districts. ...Godfrey Joseph Pascal is from Kilosa District, one of the three districts in Morogoro Region where the training program is being implemented. ...He won the 2017 Best Farmer Award for Kilosa District and the entire Morogoro Region, and was consequently presented with an award of 1.5 million Tanzanian Shillings and a ten-acre piece of land.
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The African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC), an institution that promotes the role of business in development, has touted the introduction of system of rice intensification (SRI) in Machinga District to increase the crop’s output... Henry Chiwalo said that since the concept was introduced, rice production has doubled from 2,500 kg/ha to agout 5,850 kg/ha... Over 2,800 rice farmers in 3 irrigation schemes in Machinga are practising this system...
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