The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a climate-smart agricultural methodology.
SRI is a sustainable agricultural practice that provides ecological, social, and economic benefits to farmers, families, consumers, and businesses.
SRI follows four key principles that produce significantly greater crop yields, simultaneously minimising inputs and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane.
SRI is a holistic approach to sustainable rice cultivation
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) promotes collaborative synergies throughout sectors.
The SRI network of government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector continues to grow in over 60 countries, with a shared goal of more efficient, equitable, and sustained development.
Effective partnerships and collaboration lie at the heart of SRI success.
"to innovate, contribute, and support the human
existence with whatever capacities we respectively have"
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a climate-smart agricultural methodology for cultivating rice based on four key principles that address plant, soil, and water management.
There are four key principles of SRI which guide how SRI is practiced. These are: the early establishment of healthy plants; low plant density; soil enrichment; and the sparing application of water.
The practices of SRI vary according to the needs, abilities, resources, and local conditions of each farmer. Each of the principles of SRI should be adapted to each farmer's context.
Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), also known as “intermittent irrigation” is the process of providing water intermittently to rice paddies. AWD can dramatically reduce methane emissions.
SRI+ is the term to identify types of farm management resulting from the combination of SRI practices with other farming methods based on agroecological principles.
SRI does not require additional equipment. A handheld mechanical weeder is a cost-effective investment that can help alleviate labour requirements.
The methods of SRI can be applied to all varieties of rice and has been validated with both improved and indigenous varieties.
Although SRI can be implemented without the need to invest in costly resources, areas such as irrigation development or equipment availability could benefit from outside investment to support SRI uptake.
SRI can be used in tandem with other agroecological approaches. The principles of SRI have been applied to other crops, such as wheat, finger-millet, and sugar cane. SRI's beneficial outcomes can help countries to achieve sustainable development goals, such as those called for by the UN.
SRI is a climate agroecological approach to rice cultivation that improves plants’ performances while reducing inputs and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane.
SRI is based on Four Key Principles that are adapted to the needs of farmers. Through a different management of plants, water and soil, SRI methods provide the best environment for rice crop, ultimately increasing climate resilience and farmers’ income
Since its synthesis in the 1908s, SRI has been guided by four principles. These are to start with young healthy plants; to optimise spacing to minimise competition between plants; to build up fertile and healthy soil; and to apply only the minimum amount of water needed by the rice plants and soil organisms.
We now need to promote a more nature-based implementation of SRI, given the current over-reliance on agrochemicals and unsustainable degradation of agricultural soils. Therefore, the fifth principle given here is provided with the aim to reduce rice cultivation’s impact on the environment , support sustainable food-systems, and align with the principles of Conservation Agriculture, as practised in India’s Zero Budget Natural Farming movement.
With this adjustment, SRI adds to its existing agro-ecological approach and the beneficial attributes of regenerative, organic, and conservation agriculture.
The practice of SRI varies according to the needs, abilities, resources, and local conditions of each farmer. Some of the practices can initially seem counter-intuitive as they depart from commonly used practices which have been in use for centuries in rice cultivation.
It is therefore important to understand the reasons behind these practices. Understanding the 'why' behind the 'what' allows the practices to be adopted with confidence and adapted to best suit local conditions.
A variety of agroecological principles and practices can be integrated with SRI. Conservation Agriculture (CA), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), water harvesting, aquaculture and horticulture, organic, or biochar rice straw management are some examples. Assessing each location and farmer's context is important to creating a holistic cultivation system that is long-lasting and sustainable.
See more on SRI + here
AWD, or intermittent irrigation, involves providing water to rice paddies intermittently, as opposed to the continuous flooding of conventional rice farming.
This water management system results in important water savings, a critical factor in addressing water scarcity and climate shocks.
AWD also reduces methane emissions, as the intermittently applied water keeps the soil in mostly aerobic conditions, which methanogens (methane producing organisms) cannot tolerate.
AWD also enhances plants’ performances by promoting healthier root systems.
SRI can be practiced without making any additional equipment purchases. A handheld mechanical weeder, however, is a beneficial addition that can significantly reduce the labour efforts involved. Investments in simple mechanisation can usually be returned within the first season for the farmer.
Other equipment used can include: transplanters, markers, direct seeders, land markers, amongst others. Farmers are continually innovating and adapting machinery and equipment to suit their needs. Investing in equipment, logistics, and the infrastructure necessary for both small-holders and large-scale farmers would be a major asset to increasing SRI adoption.
The methods of SRI can be applied to all varieties of rice.
SRI enables rice plants to more fully express their genetic potential and has shown increased productivity in both improved and indigenous varieties.
Growing indigenous varieties using SRI practices has shown increased yields of 5-10 tons per hectare, while simultaneously lowering production costs.
Indigenous varieties are often preferred by consumers and hold greater market value, so are usually more profitable than newer varieties. SRI can be an attractive option for farmers to help preserve the genetic biodiversity of rice.
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SRI is an advantageous system because it doesn't require any new resources or equipment to implement, making it accessible to poor and resource-limited households.
SRI methods rely on enhancing existing biological processes and potentials in rice plants and soil systems, without requiring additional inputs or major upfront costs.
It can help reduce hunger, poverty, and mitigate climate change.
A soil-aerating mechanical weeder can be a cost-effective addition, and the investment can be shared among a community of farmers.
Many barriers that affect SRI are also barriers impacting conventional rice cultivation. Two main barriers that may restrain SRI adoption are the access and control of water, and labour supply.
Investments to enhance a community’s capabilities are required for SRI practice to reach its full potential. The following are areas that would benefit greatly from investments.
Investing in irrigation management systems is an option to improve water use efficiency and a farmer's control of water. This is particularly important in areas with erratic rainfall. Irrigation systems that require farmers to pay for the fuel or volume of water used can work as an incentive to use SRI due to AWD methods being cheaper than conventional flooding practices.
This style of water management system, however, is not necessarily recommended to be introduced if it is not already in place as it may deter SRI uptake. Working with the local farmers and their community to understand and develop local participatory irrigation systems is an essential step to inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development.
Investment in mechanical weeders requires capacity building through combined training and financial support in the necessary tools and equipment to manufacture rotary weeders.
Investments to enhance equipment supplies are necessary for faster scaled adoption for medium and large-scale farmers, and for those restricted by labour constraints.
Farmers may be concerned about receiving lower yields due to the initially counterintuitive nature of SRI practices. Agricultural insurance could help to alleviate this initial barrier and concern.
Access to biomass of any source needs improvement. SRI education strategies should include training on sourcing and producing local biomass options.
Investments in community capacity-building in the form of well-trained extension workers and lead farmers, who can demonstrate practices and support other farmer learning, are required to upscale SRI adoption. Extension work should reach both landowners and hired workers. Farmer Field Schools have been shown to be effective in spreading awareness and understanding of SRI practices.
Establishment of dissemination centres facilitates the creation of sustainable SRI networks, allowing farmers to receive support from extension officers and lead farmers.
Investing in policy activism unites public, private, and civil sectors together to adopt SRI and achieve collective benefits. There is a lot of activity currently on the ground spreading awareness of SRI. But, in order to achieve potential levels of SRI production, policy-makers need to support and promote SRI practices.
Further context-specific research on adaptations of SRI can help find solutions to the contextual barriers to adoption. Monitoring and evaluation of projects is the most effective way of ensuring sustainability of SRI upscaling. Research demonstrating quantified benefits of combining SRI with other agroecological methodologies can help to foster a shift towards sustainable agricultural practices.
SRI+ is the term to identify types of farm management resulting from the combination of SRI practices with other farming methods based on agroecological principles. The synergies resulting from the integration of different agroecological methods underpin the provision of ecosystem services which in turn enhance soil, plants and human health.
SRI enriches soil with organic matter, reducing the need for synthetic inputs due to improved soil quality and plant resilience. Organic SRI is implemented by most rice farmers in the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and India. Nagrak Organic SRI Center in Indonesia promotes organic SRI methods, but organic certification can be time-consuming and costly for farmers seeking premium prices.
SRI can be combined with different agroecological practices such as Conservation Agriculture, Integrated Pest Management, water harvesting, aquaculture, and organic farming. Choosing the right combination for each farmer's specific needs and context is crucial for creating a sustainable and effective cultivation system.
SRI and CA integration is successful in Pakistan through PQNK (Paradoxical Agriculture), combining organic SRI with permanent no-till, mulched raised beds and furrow irrigation. PQNK increased average yields to 12.84 t/ha in 2009, three times the area norm, with 70% less water application and a 30% reduction of labour.
In China, Sichuan farmers with the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences developed a CA version of SRI where seedlings are transplanted into raised beds through thin plastic sheets to suppress weeds, while establishing a crop rotation with mustard in the off-season.A large-scale farmer implements a mechanized version of CA+SRI on its farm in Arkansas, US. He also utilizes no-till, mulched permanent raised beds and furrow irrigation, a system that helped increasing the profitability of his rice farming by reducing costs and stabilizing yields.
PRADAN, an Indian NGO, introduced SRI methods combined with water harvesting techniques to help rainfed farmers facing persistent droughts. They implemented "the 5% solution," where farmers convert the lowest-lying 5% of their field into a catchment pond to collect rainfall during the early season.
The collected water is used for irrigation during the summer cropping season, helping to stabilize yield and contrasting water shortages. This approach is ideally suited to accompany the introduction of SRI and can also support other crops during the dry season.
SRI farmers in Cambodia and India have developed diversified cropping systems that build upon the increased rice productivity of SRI. By setting aside 40% of their rice-growing area to construct a catchment pond and canals (15%), and leaving 25% for raising vegetables, fruits, and small livestock, farmers can generate income from multiple sources throughout the year.
This system was evaluated in India, where farmers using SRI methods with supplementary pond irrigation plus horticulture on the bund area (13% of the area) generated almost 60 times greater net income than conventional rainfed rice production methods. The costs of implementing this system were around $300, investable in increments over several years, and did not require borrowing.
SRI rice has been successfully rotated with other crops in different regions as it facilitate the alternation of crops by reducing the growing type of rice and by nurturing the soil.
In China, SRI rice was rotated with mushrooms in the winter. In Vietnam, SRI rice was alternated with potato-cropping in the winter.
And in Madagascar and China, potatoes were found to be a good rotational crop for SRI rice. These crop rotations allow for a no-till type of management and generate positive synergies between the crops.
Two of the limitations for SRI uptake are weed infestation and the labor requirements for weeding. Trials in Kashmir showed that intercropping beans with SRI rice during the first part of the season addressed these issues. This combination reduced weeds by 65% and reduced water requirements by 40%. Rice yield increased by 33% due to the nitrogen-fixing capability of the beans and farmers' net income increased by 57%. Other crops can be used for intercropping depending on the circumstances.
SRI, combined with agroecological practices, supports the UN SDGs.
Integrating SRI with agroforestry improves yields, sequesters carbon, and provides organic matter.
China and Pakistan show success with SRI in conservation agriculture.
SRI is included in National Climate Plans for adaptation and mitigation.
It aids disaster recovery, like Indonesia post-tsunami.
Climate-smart practices are needed to combat the crisis. SRI, agroforestry, and conservation agriculture can help achieve sustainable development goals and resilient farming. Continuous development and evaluation are crucial.
