Download - 1401 SRI: Opportunities for Liberia
Improving and Scaling Up SRI in West Africa Regional Project
System of Rice Intensification (SRI): Opportunities for Liberia
Erika Styger, SRI-Rice, Cornell UniversityPresentation to Agriculture Coordination Committee (ACC), Ministry of Agriculture
February 27, Monrovia, Liberia
Improving and Scaling Up SRI in West Africa
• 1st Phase 3 year regional World Bank funded commissioned project to increase rice productivity in 13 ECOWAS countries, as part of the West Africa Agriculture Productivity Program (WAAPP), steered by CORAF/WECARD.
• Regional coordination for implementation: – Institute Economie Rural (IER) National Center for
Specialization on Rice (CNS-Rice), Mali; – SRI-Rice Center from Cornell University is principal
technical partner• January 2014 – December 2016
Improving and Scaling Up SRI in West Africa
• Project developed through participatory process with representatives from research, extension, farmers from 13 countries– First workshop in Ouagadougou July 2012– Second workshop in Saly, Senegal, July 2013– Launching of project Porto Novo, Benin, February 2014
• Each country has its own implementation plan.• Drivers of project: WAAPP coordination, designated
focal points, SRI champions (farmers, technicians) and associated partners (open platform)
Country group and climate zones
Rice cropping systems integrated in SRI West Africa Project
Source AfricaRice, 2010
What is SRI?
• The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an agro-ecological and climate-smart methodology – For increasing the productivity of rice and other
crops
– By changing the management of plants, soil, water and nutrients, while reducing external inputs
• SRI provides principles, guidelines and ideas – to be adapted to local environment
http://sririce.org
Main principles of SRI method
1. Healthy early crop establishment – Seed selection & treatment, raised bed nursery,
transplanting at young age
2. Reduced competition between plants – Increased spacing– 1 plant / hill
3. Healthy soils, rich in organic matter– Add manure, compost, green manure, crop residues
4. Aerobic soil management – Reduced water applications (Alternate wetting and
drying irrigation management)– Mechanical weeder use
System of Rice Intensification
Early healthy crop establishment
Reduced competition
Healthy soils, rich in organic matter
Aerobic soil management
Leveled uniform soil Seed selection Seed treatment
Transplanting
Raised-bed nurseryNon-dense seeding1-2x water/day
Careful uprootingFast transportCareful plantingShallow plantingYoung plantsLight irrigationKeep weed freeMechanical weeding
Single seedling
Wide Spacing (25x25 or more)*
1 plant /hillGrid pattern
Mechanical weeding
Organic matter applicationbefore soil preparation
• Manure (decomposed)
• Compost• Cover crops/ green
manure• Return crop residues
Incorporation Surface mulching
Aerobic soil conditions
Create aerobic soil conditions Mechanical weeding
Irrigated rice
Alternate wetting and drying (AWD), allow soil to dry, 7-10 d irrigation
Rainfed
Bunding of fields, good field leveling
High rainfall- Drainage
Low rainfall• Surface mulch
Direct seeding
1-2 seeds/hill
Shallow seeding
Keep weed free
Light irrigation
Mechanical weeding
PRINCIPLES
PRACTICES
METHODOLOGYCONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
* In red: most common SRI practices
System of Rice Intensification
Healthy early Crop establishment
Reduced competition
Healthy soils, rich in organic matter
Aerobic soil management
Arid Semi-aridSemi-humidHumid
Upland systems
Lowland systems
Irrigated systems
Others: Mangroves, deep water rice etc.
PRINCIPLES
PRACTICES
METHODOLOGY
Practices
Practices
Practices
Practices
Climate zones
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
SRI practices for irrigated rice
1. Single plant /hill
2. Transplant young seedlings (2 leaf stage)
3. Adopt wide spacing - planted in a grid
4. Minimum water application during vegetative growth
5. Use mechanical weeder
6. Use organic amendments as base fertilization
in IRAQ’s Al-Mishkhab Research Center, Najaf: SRI on left, Non-SRI on the right
SRI practices induce a phenotypical change in rice
SRI Conventional SRI SRI Conventional Conventional
Physiological and morphological changes of SRI plants
• Tillers are thicker (+38%)
• Plants are higher (+24%)
• More tillers/hill (+100%)
• Similar/more # tillers/m2
• Greater canopy angle (33° vs 18°)
SRI
Non SRI Thakur, A.K et al (2011) Effects for rice plant morphology and physiology of water and associated
mgt practices of SRI and their implications for crop performance, PAWE 9:13-24
SRI Non-SRI
• Roots are deeper, longer, double the volume and weight/ hill
Non SRI - flooded SRI – AWD conditions
Thakur, A.K et al (2011) Effects for rice plant morphology and physiology of water and associated mgt practices of SRI and their implications for crop performance, PAWE 9:13-24
Thiyagarajan et al. (2009) Principles and Practices of SRI in Tamil Nadu
Yield performance
• More/similar number of panicles/ m2
• Longer panicles (+20%)
• More grains/panicle • Fewer empty grains • 1000 grain weight is
heavier Non-SRI SRI
----- Increased Yields (often >50%)
Non-SRI SRI
2014
Tropical Climate, Medium Altitude: Bhutan
Tropical Savanna Climate, Cuba
High Altitude, semi-arid climate (1700m) Afghanistan
Arid Climate, MaliTropical Climate, Low AltitudeCambodia – Rainfed SRI
CON 3.6 t/ha SRI 9.5 t/ha
CON 6.5 t/ha
SRI 9.5 t/ha
CON 5.6 t/ha
SRI 9.3 t/ha
CON: 5.5 t/ha
SRI 9.1 t/ha
CON: 1.8 t/ha
SRI 4.0 t/ha
Summary of Benefits • Yield Increase: often >50%• Water savings: 30-50% • Seed reduction: > 90%• Chemical fertilizer
reduction: 20-40% (to 100% = organic SRI)
• Improved tolerance towards pests and diseases– Pesticide reduction
http://sririce.org Sheath blight disease
Mali
Summary of Benefits
• Shorter crop cycle (1-2 weeks)
• Improved drought tolerance
• Improve resistance to strong winds
• Costs/ha (reduction by 30%)
• Income increase/ha: +30-100%
http://sririce.org
After typhoon in Vietnam
SRI Non-SRI
Improved drought resistance, India
System of Rice Intensification in Liberia
CHAP farm, 0.3 ha SRI, 39 days after transplanting, Nerica L19, Feb 2014
First SRI plot in Liberia, Dec 2012 by Community of Hope Agriculture Project
(CHAP) Paynesville, Monrovia
First SRI test by Robert Bimba
Start up of SRI WAAPP Liberia Program
• First training of trainers (TOT) in December 2013, with 77 trainees
• Focal point: CHAP, Robert Bimba
• Workplan for 2014 approved
• Champions establish trial plots (at least 5 so far)
• Integration of SRI into current rice initiatives• CHAP to pilot SRI in River Gee, Grand Gedeh
• Technical capacity development: TOTs
Press coverage of TOT
SRI in Liberia 2014
Feb 24, 2014
SRI Fields (1/3 ha) at CHAP, Paynesville
39 days after transplanting (rows are closing)
- Nerica L19- 1 seedling/hill, 2
leave stage- 25cm x 25cm
spacing- No fertilization (rich
soil)- Hand weeding,
rotary weeder- Alternate wetting
and drying
Samuel Bimba, CHAPS
1st SRI Trial at CARI Research Station, Suakoko, Bong County
Trial management:Amis Cecilia Merchant,Rennie Kollieyoun (left)
- Nerica L19- Tillering per hill ~ doubled (20)- Panicles longer- Plants more
vigorous- 7kg seed/ha
SRI in Liberia 2014
Feb 25, 2014
• 1 seedling/hill, 10 days old• 30cm x 40 cm spacing• 1.25t/ha manure, 12
kg/ha urea • Alternate wetting & drying• Hand weeding
SRI Opportunities for Liberia• SRI methodology can improve rice
productivity for any variety (traditional and improved) and with locally available resources
• SRI is farmer-driven and knowledge-based approach– SRI was introduced to Liberia through farmers – SRI can be directly applied with farmers– Immediate learning with and from farmers creates
fast and relevant results!– Good technical training needed
High quality seed production by farmers• 1 plant/hill eliminates danger of
mixing varieties
• Purification of seeds /reconstruction of varieties
• Best plants selected by farmers for seeds
• Only 6kg/ha of seeds required
• Multiplication factor for seed production: SRI x 1000 (6kg seeds - 6t/ha yield)Example: 1kg seed, in Year 3: 167,000 ha Traditional x 100 (30kg/ha seeds - 3t/ha yield), Example: 1kg seed, in Year 3: 333 ha
Cambodia
Cambodia
SRI Opportunities for Liberia
Individual mother plants
Individual panicle harvest and selectionfor seed
Reduced water application to rice –Creating aerobic soil conditions
• Rice grows better in non-flooded conditions, alternate wetting and drying– Roots can breath and develop, support plant growth
and grain filling ( higher yields)– Diminishes iron-toxicity– Hypothesis: Reduction of vector breeding for
Schistosomiasis through periodic drying of fields and canals
• Irrigation infrastructure to be designed for adding water when needed and for drainage, not for flooding
SRI Opportunities for Liberia
Improved soil and water management
• For water-logged soils– Improve drainage – Create permanent raised beds
• Create year-round water availability – Plant rice in dry season– Apply new techniques like lock-lodge ratooning
• Avoid heavy soil preparation– Move towards conservation agriculture practices– Improve soil through organic matter addition– Save on expensive mechanization costs– Allow for crop rotation
SRI Opportunities for Liberia
Thank You!
SRI Trial at CARI Research Station, Suakoko, Bong County, Feb 25 2014
Contact Erika Styger: [email protected]://sririce.org
SRI Liberia Focal Point: Robert Bimba+231-886543735
Less Labour, No Seed, No Replanting, 80-90 Days to Harvest, Less Water, High Yields, can be Mechanised
10 Days Re-growth
30 Days Re-growth
Details at PRASAC-Takeo Tel: 032 931 241
New
sh
oo
t s from
ba
sa l n
od
es
Lock Lodging Line-planted
Stubble (15-20 mandays / ha)
Lock-Lodge Rice Ratooning
Stu
bb
le
Bra
idin
g
2nd Ratoon Crop... Yield for Ratoon is 60-120 % of 1st
Crop
NOTES:
• When ratooning the soil should be damp to allow moisture for re-growth, but avoid dry cracked soil, or standing water. Correct moisture content allows ethylene (produced at lodging) to maximise basal tillering & the plant to re-grow. Level Fields are important.
• Flood as normal once ratoon shoots appear after 6-10 days
• Apply 2 split Nitrogen top-dressings, less P/K
• Harvest at 80% maturity,
• Can repeat ratoon several times
(Harvest 76 Days after Ratooning)
This photo shows soil too dry & crop too mature for good
ratooning)
Example of soil too wet. Ethylene not absorbed. Very
poor re-growth
1st Ratoon Crop