India: The new farmer

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India The new farmer

• By
• Kavitha Kuruganti

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System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

• A set of principles evolved in Madagascar
• No fixed technology, variants present
• Advantages
• Highly eco friendly method
• Double yield/acre, better returns, food security
• Less water usage
• Better resistance, hence less crop protection
  requirements
• Faster maturing 7-10 days sooner in AP
• Ideal for small land holdings hence, for the
  poor

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SRI method vs Traditional
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SRI vs Traditional
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Disadvantages

• Why not popular? - Perceived as too good to be
  true
• Need for more labour Sri Lanka (11),
  Madagascar (26), India ()
• Weeds More since unflooded, starting 10-12 days
  after transplanting and 3-4 times before canopy
  closes
• Alternatives Mechanisation like rotating hoe,
  chemical weeding
• Transplanting requires greater care Can bring
  down costs with practice
• Might not be applicable in all areas not ideal
  for water logged areas

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Nalleppilly, Palakkad

• Mundakan season 2004-05
• Two farmers Sethuvettan, Mahalingam
• 10 cents each cultivated in SRI and traditional
  methods
• Variations in rice variety, watering practices
  etc.

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Results for Mr.Setuvettan

• Yield
• SRI per 10 cents (28 para) 238 kg (i.e 5.95
  tonnes per ha)
• Traditional 14 para 119 kg (Translates to 3
  tonnes per ha)
• Profit

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Results for Mr.Mahalingam

• Yield
• SRI 33 para 277 kg for 10 cents (Translates to
  6.7 tonnes per ha)
• Traditional 20 para 162 Kg for 10 cents
  (Translates to 4 tonnes per ha)
• Profit

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• Water savings
• Mr. Setuvettan 50
• Mr. Mahalingam 70
• Future plans
• Both planning to try cultivate 1 acre of land
  during Virippu season 2005

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• Wayanad
• MS. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and
  the NGO, Rural Agency for Social and
  Technological Advancement (Rasta).
• Yield in gandhakasala increased by nearly 80 per
  cent
• Aryanad panchyat, Trivandrum
• KVK at Mitraniketan
• 12 farmers in 15 hctres of land harvested an
  average yield of 7 t/hctre as against state
  average of 3 to 3.5 t/hctre.

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KVK, Mitra niketan

• 1000 farmers trained in SRI
• More than 500 extension workers from govt, local
  bodies, private agencies etc trained
• Information brochure in Malayalam, manual in
  English and videos
• Held State wide workshop in Nov 2004
• Currently forming a network of organisations to
  spread the practice
• Contact persons for organising training Dr. P. N.
  Ananth (natarajan_ananth2000_at_yahoo.com) and
  Mr.John Jo Varghese, Agronomist
  (mitrakvk_at_eth.net).

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Thank You