Farmer Innovations Improving the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

Abstract

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI), assembled in Madagascar over a 20-year period and gaining application internationally since 2000, enables farmers to raise their irrigated rice production substantially just by making changes in the way they manage their plants, soil, water and nutrients, rather than by increasing inputs such as fertilizer, water or agrochemicals. Getting more output with less cost enhances profitability. This result is quite unprecedented, as discussed in paper accompanying this one. SRI is not considered by its proponents as a technology; and by not presenting it to farmers as a set technology, this opens SRI up to many adaptations and innovations by farmer-users, who often but not always are collaborating with NGO or government staff in a collaborative manner. This paper reports on a number of the innovations that have been made in SRI practices, demonstrating bothfarmer capabilities and the advantages of engagingfarmers as partners in an ongoing process of participatory development. The companion paper which considers SRI as a system for innovation offers a more 'macro' view of SRI spread that complements this more 'micro' perspective.