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

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.

...Hamad Rashid Mohamed, Zanzibar’s Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock, and Fisheries cited adoption of the system of rice intensification (SRI) as the secret behind the increased rice production in the archipelago made up of Unguja and Pemba major islands with 1.4 million people. “There are more farmers who are adopting the new rice farming techniques,” he said, adding that the aim is to produce as more rice as possible; hence stop from importing the cereal crop.

He described SRI as a redeemer to many farmers in the Indian Ocean Island as it can produce more than 10 tonnes of rice per hector. According to him, the new drive will make the Islands has enough internal production that can sustain home consumption and meet foreign exchange earnings that can guarantee diversification of the economy.

This study evaluated the characteristic of rice produced under SRI and conventional practices in Chimala Area in Mbarali District of Mbeya Region in Tanzania. The evaluation considered the farm management practices, rice yields and the characteristic of the rice grains. Bird scaring is among the activities which increased the production cost of rice grown under SRI practices. Rice yields under SRI practices where more than 16ton/ha against less than 8ton/ha for conventional rice growing practices. The rice grains grown under SRI practices was observed to be suitable for seeds.  The quality of cooked rice indicate that rice produced under SRI practices has higher aroma and fragrance when compared to that produced under conventional practices.

Downloadable! This paper investigates the impact of training provided by a large-scale private farm on the performance of surrounding small-scale rice farmers in a rain-fed area in Tanzania. We found that the training effectively enhances the adoption of improved rice cultivation practices, paddy yield, and profit of rice cultivation by small-holder farmers. In fact, the trainees achieve paddy yield of 5 tons per hectare on average, which is remarkably high for rain-fed rice cultivation. Our results suggest high potential of small-scale rain-fed lowland rice cultivation and extension services by private large scale farms.