RICOWAS has trained over 10,000 smallholder farmers in four states, Gombe, Nasarawa, Niger and Jigawa states to adopt the System of Rice. The project in Nigeria is aimed at strengthening climate change resilience and boosting rice productivity for smallholder farmers by scaling up SRI across the country.
Farmers Field Days in Gombe and Jigawa showcase strong adoption and results from the SRI methodology. The project has also strengthened partnerships with organisations including the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security; ADPs in various states; and SRI 2030, a UK-based NGO promoting SRI globally, among others.a
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) addresses global food security and environmental challenges by improving yield, reducing water use, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in resource-constrained agricultural systems. SRI has achieved yield increases of 10–114% compared to conventional methods, with water savings of 40–74% due to AWD irrigation. Methane emissions are reduced by up to 70%, while enhanced soil microbial activity and improved root development increase plant vigor and resilience to drought and pests. However, adoption is hindered by labor-intensive practices, knowledge gaps, and access to training and irrigation infrastructure.
Mechanization, such as drum seeders and mechanical weeders, can reduce labor by up to 97% and 28.3%, respectively, but access remains limited. SRI can offer sustainable rice production by improving yield, resource efficiency, and environmental outcomes. However, scalability is constrained by labor demands and knowledge barriers. Mechanization and extension services are critical to overcoming these challenges.
Dans le cadre de la collaboration entre l’initiative SRI-2030 et Enda Pronat, un champ école paysan (CEP) a été mis en place à Ndoundour pour expérimenter et promouvoir le Système de Riziculture Intensive (SRI). Portée par les femmes du Groupement de Promotion Féminine (GPF) de la localité, cette initiative marque une étape clé vers une […]
SRI-Rice's insight:
As part of the collaboration between the SRI-2030 initiative and Enda Pronat, a Farmer Field School (FFS) was established in Ndoundour to pilot and promote the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). Led by the local Women's Promotion Group (GPF), this initiative marks a key step towards more ecological, economical, and productive rice farming.
Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has called for greater adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Speaking at a COP30 side event during the Africa Food Systems Summit 2025 in Dakar, Senegal, Kyari said Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda is already demonstrating how innovation can strengthen resilience against climate change.
Kyari cited Nigeria’s success with the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which has doubled yields, increased farmer incomes, created over 30,000 jobs, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Discover how Tanzanian farmers are boosting rice production despite climate change using System of Rice Intensification (SRI)! Learn key practices like young seedlings, reduced water use, less fertilizers, and smart spacing to grow more rice with fewer resources.
The Malian government has unveiled a US$24.4 million initiative to nearly double the nation’s rice production by 2030. Dubbed the National Program for Scaling Up the Intensive Rice Farming System (PN-SRI), the initiative was formally launched at a national forum in Bamako on April 17. Led by the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with GIZ-Mali, the 10-year strategy targets a production increase from 3 million tonnes to 5.5 million tonnes of paddy rice.
The initiative is grounded in the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a cultivation method designed to optimize yields through improved water and soil management, better spacing, and input efficiency. The initiative is expected to benefit approximately 245,000 producers across one million hectares, boosting local paddy rice production.
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) pilot programme implemented by Propcom+ across different locations in Nigeria has shown potential to enhance rice productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Nigeria.
During the pilot, Propcom+ said 22,269 smallholder farmers, 41% of whom were women, received SRI training through onsite demonstrations and SMS-based education.The pilot also attracted commercial investments, with three suppliers committing to providing motorized transplanters, mobile solar-powered pumps, and organic fertilizers. Additionally, the initiative created 199 jobs, with rural entrepreneurs adopting the service delivery models for mechanized transplanting and irrigation services. The pilot also achieved improvements in farm productivity, with 66% of adopting farmers reporting higher yields compared to conventional farming.
The theme of this January 21, 2025, webinar is “System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Research in Africa” (This is the third in the SRI Research Webinar Series, which is hosted by the SRI Global Research Network.) Speakers were: 1. Aisha Abdulkadir (Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria) presented “Enhancing Food Security in Africa through SRI: Challenges and Opportunities” 2. Primitiva Andrea Mboyerwa (Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania) presented “Eco Rice: The SRI’s Pathway to Multiple Sustainable Development Goals”
Two years in, the SRI Tanzania project has made a significant impact on the lives of 2,880 farmers, with a 30-40% increase in yield and an approximately 90% reduction in seed usage.
The emphasis of the Norad-funded project SRI Tanzania is on the promotion of the climate-smart agriculture System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methods. The project is currently being implemented in five districts in Tanzania by the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI).
NIBIO’s CEO Ivar Horneland Kristensen reflected on the project’s wider potential: “On a larger scale, if all two million rice farmers in Tanzania adopted this approach, the impact would be transformative. Tanzania could not only secure its own food supply but also help feed six neighbouring countries, improving lives and bolstering regional and global food security,” he says.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) has outdoored its System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technology and potentials of recently released rice varieties. At a day’s visit for farmers at Botanga in the Kumbungu, the efficiency, and the benefits of the SRI technology was introduced to the farmers in the area […]
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.
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.
The Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP) and the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at revitalizing the military’s agriculture company and strengthening national food security. CHAP will train soldiers in the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) through the RICOWAS program and support pilot rice production across three key military installations: the Edward Binyah Kesselly (EBK) Barracks, Camp Jackson (Namaa), and Toedee. CHAP is providing improved seed as well as machinery, technical guidance, and hands-on field support.
"Highlights of National Efforts and Innovation on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) over the Past 20 Years in Iraq" was presented by Khidhir Abbas Hameed on August 18, 2025, at the SRI Network Capacity-Building and Research Workshop, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Khidhir also presented a blueprint for an Arabic language SRI Network for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the workshop.
Over 188 local farmers from Rivercess and Grand Bassa Counties are appealing to the Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP) and Concern Worldwide to continue their farming support initiative. The project, now in its second to third year, introduced farmers to the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a method many initially found difficult. However, they say they have now mastered the technique and are reaping its benefits.
“At first, the SRI method was tough for us because it was new. But now we are used to it. It makes rice farming easier and faster." Farmers reported that they are now able to use the same plots of land continuously, significantly reducing the labor and environmental degradation associated with traditional shifting cultivation methods.“Rice farming used to be backbreaking work, but not anymore. We can now grow more rice using less seed and labor...”
Le riz, vital en Afrique de l’Ouest, est au centre d’un forum régional clé à Bamako depuis hier, lundi 5 mai 2025. En effet, 13 pays et des organisations internationales discutent de systèmes agricoles durables et de l’essor du Système de Riziculture Intensif (SRI). Riz : Enjeu Clé de la Sécurité Alimentaire. L’Afrique de l’Ouest […]
SRI-Rice's insight:
Representatives from thirteen countries and international organizations discussed sustainable agricultural systems and the development and promotion of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Bamako on May 5, 2025. Mali's Prime Minister emphasized the urgency of helping vulnerable producers. He also reiterated the alignment of SRI with Mali's national development strategies and assured the government's full commitment to the development of the regional SRI. In conclusion, collective action was deemed essential for West African food security, in which the SRI could play a major role.
Dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre du projet Promotion du Système de Riziculture Intensive au Cameroun (ProSRI-Cam), le CIPCRE a organisé, du 22 au 28 avril 2025, une série d’ateliers de formation théorique sur les méthodes du Système de Riziculture Intensive (SRI) dans quatre villages pilotes : Santchou, Bamendjo, Koutaba et Bangourain.
Ciwara Capital, set up with support from IFAD and EU funding and entirely owned by members of the Malian diaspora, invests in small and medium-size enterprises in Africa including agri-businesses, aiming to raise US$2 million by 2026 and US$10 million over the longer term. In Mali, Ciwara has invested in Zira Capital, an impact investment fund.
Among the new investments of Ciwara and Zira is SOPROTRILAD, a Malian company that provides over 3,000 small-scale farmers with inputs, such as seed and fertilizer, and in return buys the rice they harvest. IFAD’s INCLUSIF project has supported SOPROTRILAD in building relationships with rice cooperatives and introducing them to climate-smart production techniques, such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).
Ibrahima's cooperative has signed an agreement with SOPROTRILAD, and despite a steep learning curve, he immediately spotted the potential of the new farming approaches. “It is more beneficial for us,” he says. “For example, for a 0.25-hectare field, we used to use 13 kg of seeds, while with SRI we only use 2–3 kg. SRI uses less water, which reduces the use of motor pumps and saves fuel.”
The mission of SRI-2030 is to scale up SRI and the complementary agroecological farming practices around it. In order to help scale and speed SRI adoption, SRI-2030 is partnering with organisations and governments across Africa funding dedicated Breakthrough Facilitators, whose role is to train up extension workers and farming communities. The Breakthrough Facilitator in Cameroon is agroecology expert Charlin Tsaffo.
Francesco Zampaolo Carnevale, SRI-2030 Programme Director, visited Cameroon to plan activities and make field visits with SRI-2030’s newest partner, Cercle International pour la Promotion de la Création (CIPCRE), an NGO in Cameroon. Together, they chose four areas in the Western Region to begin with: Bangourain, Santchou, Koutaba and Bamendjou. The SRI efforts will be integrated CIPCRE’s agroecological approach with the SRI promotion strategy used by Julius Fileshi, an early SRI adopter in the North-West. Briefly, the plan involves one-day SRI trainings for 600 farmers; training 60 farmers as trainers (provided with weeders, seeds and support), and community pilot plots in each zone for community participation, demonstrations and direct practice).
Elles sont plus de 500 femmes de la région des Savanes (nord-Togo) à bénéficier depuis lundi d'une formation sur le système de riziculture intensive (SRI).
Le système SRI permet d'augmenter la production tout en réduisant les coûts et les ressources au bénéfice des agriculteurs. Pour la FAO, promouvoir le SRI sur ces sites de production, c'est participer aussi à la production durable du riz au Togo.
SRI-Rice's insight:
English translation: ...more than 500 women from the Savanes region (northern Togo) have benefited from training the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). The SRI system increases production while reducing costs and resources for the benefit of farmers.For FAO, promoting SRI on these production sites also means participating in sustainable rice production in Togo.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) held a two-day “train the trainers’ programme” on rice production in Kano for 20 extension workers that is intended to enhance yield and mitigate the effects of climate. Organised in collaboration with SRI-2030, the training included frontline extension workers from five states – Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Bauchi, and Adamawa. Speaking at the event, the minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, noted that the initiative aimed to increase farmers’ capacity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. James Dahlgreen, SRI-Rice Programme Manager explained, “SRI will help feed the world with less water, less climate impact, and without taking any more land from nature,. Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf of Kano reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to agricultural development.
Meet Djaja Baldé, a determined farmer from Sintchä Benfica, whose adoption of improved rice production techniques is transforming her family’s future: “Look around, see for yourself. Never in all my years have I had so much rice.” (She is one of 150 farmers who participated in this project, with 48% of them being women who received training in SRI, the System of Rice Intensification). We are in the Gabú region of Guinea-Bissau, where five of the 15 pilot rice fields are that werre established in a 2022 project financed by the UN Joint Fund for Sustainable Development Goals and implemented by the UN in Guinea-Bissau.
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.
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
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