System of Rice Intensification in

MYANMAR

METTA DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

METTA DEVELOPMENT METTA DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATIONFOUNDATION

Metta is a leading national NGO dedicated to rural development in Myanmar. Metta works closely with the root level community based local organizations in the war-torn least developed areas.

Metta facilitates Farmer Field School (FFS) Metta facilitates Farmer Field School (FFS) in the northern parts of Myanmar–in Kachin in the northern parts of Myanmar–in Kachin State and Shan StateState and Shan State

Farmer Field School

FFS OBJECTIVESFFS OBJECTIVES

Improving farmers’ skills and management capacity over rice based farming system

Improving farmers’ skills and management capacity over rice based farming system

PREVAILING SITUATIONS PREVAILING SITUATIONS

There is a tremendous crisis of quality seeds.There is a tremendous crisis of quality seeds.

Farmers use no manures and fertilizers at all, as a result over the years soil fertility has badly declined

Farmers use no manures and fertilizers at all, as a result over the years soil fertility has badly declined

Not many good varieties are available. Most of the tall varieties have serious lodging problem. Not many good varieties are available. Most of the tall varieties have serious lodging problem.

Use of taller and weaker seedlings, and mostly during uprooting beating to legs highly prevent them from expressing their full potential of growth

Use of taller and weaker seedlings, and mostly during uprooting beating to legs highly prevent them from expressing their full potential of growth

All these have resulted in very poor yield (2 tons/ha)

PRIMARY STRATEGY OF FFS

Facilitating An Ecological Approach to Crop ProductionFacilitating An Ecological Approach to Crop Production

INCREASING PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY OF RICE FIELD

INCREASING PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY OF RICE FIELD

AREA OF FOCUSAREA OF FOCUS

Improving soil Improving soil fertility by fertility by enhancing the enhancing the biological biological activity of soilactivity of soil

OTHER AREAS OF FOCUSOTHER AREAS OF FOCUS

Efficient Management of Water as Efficient Management of Water as Water is the Scarce Resource in Water is the Scarce Resource in the Area.the Area.

Improving Seed and Seedling Improving Seed and Seedling Quality, and Quality, and

Production and distribution of Production and distribution of quality seedsquality seeds

COINCIDENCE WITH SRICOINCIDENCE WITH SRI

Improving Productivity Of Soil, Improving Productivity Of Soil, Water, And Improving Potential Water, And Improving Potential Of Seedlings Are Also Important Of Seedlings Are Also Important In SRIIn SRI

All These Have Encouraged Us All These Have Encouraged Us To Introduce SRITo Introduce SRI

EVALUATIONS EVALUATIONS OF SRIOF SRI

EVALUATIONS EVALUATIONS OF SRIOF SRI

Treatment No. of Tiller Plant height

panicle size

grain/panicle

Yield ton/ha

Tiller Productive

T1 25 cm x 25 cm 14.6 9 96.65 24.1 118 2.73T2 30 cm x 30 cm 18.6 10 86.8 25.1 131 2.65T3 35 cm x 35 cm 17.9 11 104 26.1 109 1.97

YEAR 2000YEAR 2000

Result was disappointing as planting was done Result was disappointing as planting was done one month laterone month later

It was however, a learning yearIt was however, a learning year

2001, AT THE TRAINING FIELD2001, AT THE TRAINING FIELD

SRI Treatment No of tillers/hill Yield (ton/ha)

T1 (25 X 25 Cm) 17 5.5

T2 (30 X 30 Cm) 19 4.5

T3 (30 X 20 Cm) 21 5.0

IPM / Rice varieties No of tiller/hill Yield (ton/ha)

Japan 7 4.0

Pinle Bo 6 3

Sin-3 9 4.2

Hkun ni 9 3

L.S - 1 13 4.0

Major practicesMajor practicesDONE VERY SYSTEMATICALLYDONE VERY SYSTEMATICALLY

10-12 days old seedlings10-12 days old seedlingsPlanted one by onePlanted one by oneAlternate drying and wetting Alternate drying and wetting Used organic manure and Used organic manure and compostcompost

2001, AT FARMER’S FIELDS2001, AT FARMER’S FIELDS

FFS site Farmers Av. Yields (t/ha)

Nawng hkying

24 5

10 Miles 13 5.4

Rosana 22 5.4

8 Miles 13 5.4

Woi Rawng pa 14 7.5

Gat Sha Yang 13 4.9

Shadau 12 4.9

N-gan 12 4.8

Sut Ngai Yang 7 6

Nawng Hkyi 25 4.25

Gara Yang 21 7.5

Ja Pu 15 7.8

Awng Mye Tit 25 3.0

  10 Miles 25 5.2  

  Saga Pa 6 5.5  

  Shang Htawk 20 5.5  

  Yihku Nam Hkam 25 5.5  

  Mai Hkawng 22 4.0  

  Mung Lu 20 5.0  

  Mya Ze Ti 16 *  

  Lawa Yang 7 5.0  

  Mai Sak Pa 8 4.9  

  Mai Ja Yang 10 *  

  Sut Ra Yang 10 *  

  Labang Kahtawng 20 5.0  

  Nam Sheng 29 5.0  

Chyahkrau 15 *

Sha-U Yang 3 7.9

Lung sha Yang 24 5.5

Major PracticesMajor Practices

1-2 seedlings per hill1-2 seedlings per hill12-20 days old seedlings12-20 days old seedlingsRelatively wider spacingRelatively wider spacing

OVERALL RESULTS

RICE YIELDSRICE YIELDS

Average yield is 2-3 Average yield is 2-3 times higher than times higher than farmer’s usual yields farmer’s usual yields with the highest 7.9 with the highest 7.9 t/hat/ha

Farmers are very Farmers are very interested in SRIinterested in SRI

Improved quality of seedlingsImproved quality of seedlings

As in SRI the As in SRI the requirement of requirement of seedlings is very low, seedlings is very low, farmers takes more farmers takes more care in seedling care in seedling productionproduction

Transplanting in lineTransplanting in line

Farmers consider Farmers consider transplanting in line a transplanting in line a burden of work. burden of work. However, being However, being introduced SRI they introduced SRI they feel this is an feel this is an obligationobligation

Use of organic manure and Use of organic manure and compostcompost

Due to SRI, farmers Due to SRI, farmers feel very much feel very much encouraged to apply encouraged to apply compost and animal compost and animal manure to their fieldsmanure to their fields

Distribution of quality seedsDistribution of quality seeds

Seeds produced in Seeds produced in SRI methods are of SRI methods are of pure and good pure and good quality. quality.

During field days, During field days, farmers were given farmers were given seeds from SRI fieldsseeds from SRI fields

LEARNINGLEARNING

Maintaining planting depth is very difficultMaintaining planting depth is very difficultSeedling mortality is another problemSeedling mortality is another problemNeed more research on using one vs. two Need more research on using one vs. two

seedlings per hillseedlings per hillResearch is also needed to identify the Research is also needed to identify the

age limits of seedling as in winter growth age limits of seedling as in winter growth of seedling is very lowof seedling is very low

PROSPECTS OF SRIPROSPECTS OF SRI

Many of the methods of SRI are Many of the methods of SRI are supplementary to and improve upon the supplementary to and improve upon the existing practices that Metta is promotingexisting practices that Metta is promoting

SRI now is an important intervention of SRI now is an important intervention of Metta’s SA programMetta’s SA program

Metta trained 56 staffs, each of whom Metta trained 56 staffs, each of whom provides training to 10-20 farmers each provides training to 10-20 farmers each yearyear

60 farmer leaders are currently receiving 60 farmer leaders are currently receiving training on SRItraining on SRI

Thank you

Thank you