PROMOTING SYSTEM OF RICE PROMOTING SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION (SRI) INTENSIFICATION (SRI)

AMONG MARGINAL FARMERS OF AMONG MARGINAL FARMERS OF UTTARAKHAND AND HIMACHAL PRADESHUTTARAKHAND AND HIMACHAL PRADESH

DEBASHISH SEN, S.P. CHATURVEDI, DEBASHISH SEN, S.P. CHATURVEDI, HIRALAL BHARTI, AND RAJENDRA BANSALHIRALAL BHARTI, AND RAJENDRA BANSAL

Paddy – A Mountain Farmers’ CropPaddy – A Mountain Farmers’ Crop

S.

No.

Particulars Uttarakhand Himachal Pradesh

Total

1 Total geographical area

(in lakh ha)

53.49 55.67 109.16

2 Average rainfall (mm) 1800 1800 1800

3 Net sown area

(in lakh ha)

5.78 5.58 11.36

4 Irrigated area

(as % of net sown area)

19 35 27

5 Area under paddy

(in lakh ha)

2.99 0.77 3.76

6 Total paddy production (000 M. tons)

613 120 733

7 Average yield of paddy (t/ha) 2.05 1.56 1.95

Paddy yields in H.P. & Uttarakhand range from 1.5 to 2.0 t/haPaddy yields in H.P. & Uttarakhand range from 1.5 to 2.0 t/ha

PSI’s Intervention (Kharif 2006)PSI’s Intervention (Kharif 2006)S.

No.

Name of Watershed, District Altitude

(m)

No. of villages

No. of farmers

covered

Area covered

(ha)

A Uttarakhand

1 Bhanaj Gad, Rudraprayag 2000-2200 2 8 0.08

2 Hilai Gad, Rudraprayag 1900-2000 2 3 0.04

3 Sem Gadera, Tehri Garhwal 2100-2400 5 5 0.19

4 Niranjanpur & Vikasnagar, Dehradun

600-750 4 6 0.17

B Himachal Pradesh

1 Bhagan Khadd, Kangra 880-1020 9 12 0.33

2 Nakehad Khadd, Kangra 800-1000 1 2 0.07

3 Silh Nala, Bilaspur 650-750 1 2 0.03

4 Chalara Khas, Chamba 800-1000 1 2 0.04

TOTAL 600-2400 25 40 0.95

• Orientation workshops – briefing for mobilisation, nursery & seed sowing

• Training and demonstration programmes - preparation of field, transplanting, weeding and organic composting

• Field support at transplanting, tillering & milking stages

• Experience-sharing workshops - 128 farmers, 21 NGOs, and 28 government officials

Our ApproachOur Approach

Methodology AdoptedMethodology Adopted

• Nursery

• Transplanting (25cm x 25 cm)

• Repeated use of single-row

Mandava weeder

• Application of organic compost

(Panchgavya, Amritjal, Matka

Khad)

• Alternative wetting and drying

• Draining the field 25 days before

harvesting

Comparison of results for SRI and conventional methods of Comparison of results for SRI and conventional methods of paddy for farmers’ plots (1m x 1m) at Kangra, H.P.paddy for farmers’ plots (1m x 1m) at Kangra, H.P.

S. No.

Particulars Tilak Raj(conventional)

Tilak Raj (SRI)

Dharam Chand(conventional)

Dharam Chand (SRI)

1 Variety China-4 China-4 Parmal Parmal

2 No. of hills 29 16 34 16

3 No. of total tillers 247 352 204 320

4 No. of grains/panicle 105 161 120 155

5 Total weight (grain+straw) in kg

8.4 16.5 11.5 14.5

6 Total weight of grain (kg)

3.5 8.0 4.5 7.5

7 Net weight of grain (kg)

3.0(3.0 t/ha)

7.5(7.5 t/ha)

4.0(4.0 t/ha)

7.0(7.0 t/ha)

8 Weight of chaff (kg) 5.4 8.5 7.0 7.3

9 Height of chaff (cm) 84 118 80 80

While SRI estimates stood close to 70-75 quintals per hectares, non-SRI While SRI estimates stood close to 70-75 quintals per hectares, non-SRI yields were projected at a dismal 30-40 quintals per hectare. yields were projected at a dismal 30-40 quintals per hectare.

S.No. Particulars Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4

1 Variety Type-3 (conventional)

Type-3 (SRI)

Pusa Sugandh (conventional)

Pusa Sugandh (SRI)

2 No. of hills 26 16 23 16

3 No. of total tillers 156 189 158 210

4 No. of grains/panicle 82 93 96 193

5 Total weight (grain + straw) (in grams)

1250 1800 2000 3500

6 Total weight of grain(g per m2)

270 430 390 720

7 Net weight of grain (g) 250(2.5 T/ha)

390(3.9T/ha)

380(3.8T/ha)

650(6.5T/ha)

8 Weight of chaff (g) 980 1370 1610 2780

9 Height of chaff (cm) 105 130 120 140

Comparison of results for SRI and conventional methods of Comparison of results for SRI and conventional methods of paddy for PSI plots (1m x 1m) at Dehradunpaddy for PSI plots (1m x 1m) at Dehradun

While Type-3 SRI paddy showed a yield increment of 56%, the Pusa While Type-3 SRI paddy showed a yield increment of 56%, the Pusa Sugandh SRI paddy showed a yield increment of 71%. Sugandh SRI paddy showed a yield increment of 71%.

Comparison of results for SRI and conventional methods of Comparison of results for SRI and conventional methods of paddy at Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhandpaddy at Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand

S. No. Particulars Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand

Conventional SRI Conventional SRI

1 No. of Farmers 18 18 22 22

2 Area (sq. m.) - 5,800 - 3,580

3 No. of total tillers (min-max) 2-8 8-51 1-14 5-35

4 Plant height (cm) 86 93 99 119

5 Panicles/plant (min-max) 2-13 8-40 1-14 5-26

6 Panicle length (cm) 19 22 17 21

7 Average no. of grains/panicle 97 148 100 161

8 Yield (Q/ha) 32 50 31 55

While non-SRI yields stood close to 30 quintals per ha, the SRI yields While non-SRI yields stood close to 30 quintals per ha, the SRI yields were around 50-55 quintals per ha, an average increase of 66%. were around 50-55 quintals per ha, an average increase of 66%.

S. No.

Method Conventional SRI

Total expen-diture

(Rs./ha)

Gross income (Rs./ha)

Net profit

(Rs./ha)

B:C ratio

Total expen-diture

(Rs./ha)

Gross income (Rs./ha)

Net profit

(Rs./ha)

B:C ratio

1 Direct dry seed sowing

10,530 12,600 2,070 1.2:1 13,915 20,300 6,385 1.5:1

2 Germinated seed sowing

11,080 21,000 9,920 1.9:1 - - - -

3 Trans-planting

14,065 26,620 12,555 1.9:1 18,625 43,750 25,125 2.4:1

4 Trans-planting (Basmati- Type-3)

16,000 41,000 25,000 2.6:1 20,000 101,720 81,720 5:1

Comparison of cultivation costs for SRI and conventional Comparison of cultivation costs for SRI and conventional methods of paddy cultivationmethods of paddy cultivation

Organic Basmati Type 3 variety is most profitable for mountain regions Organic Basmati Type 3 variety is most profitable for mountain regions having altitude less than 1500m. having altitude less than 1500m.

Lessons & Recommendations for SRI Paddy for Lessons & Recommendations for SRI Paddy for Mountainous RegionsMountainous Regions

Seed Sowing Time for NurserySeed Sowing Time for Nursery(i) High Altitude (>1500m) :1-7 June(ii) Medium Altitude (1000-1500m):10-20

June (iii) Low Altitude (<1000m) :25June-5 July

Transplanting TimeTransplanting Time(i) 10-15 days -Yield 70-75Q/Ha(ii) 16-23 days -Yield 55-60 Q/Ha(iii) > 23 days – 40-45 Q/Ha

WeedingWeeding(i)   Three Times - Yield 70-75Q/Ha(ii)  Two Times - Yield 60-65 Q/Ha(iii) One Time -Yield 50-55 Q/Ha

Comparison of results for SWI and conventional method of Comparison of results for SWI and conventional method of HD-2329 wheat variety at DehradunHD-2329 wheat variety at Dehradun

S.

No.

Particulars SWI Conventional

Row-to-row spacing (cm) 20 X 20 15 x 15 10 x 10 15 x 15 Broadcasting

Plant-to-plant spacing (cm) 20 X 20 15 x 15 10 x 10 10 x 10

1 Area (sq.m) 69 72 78 72 164 182

2 Ave. no. of tillers (range) 16

(8-23)

20

(8-36)

20

(8-32)

23

(9-39)

5

(2-9)

5

(2-9)

3 Ave. plant height (cm) 90 92 84 84 71 71

4 Ave. no. of panicles per plant 16 15 15 15 4 4

5 Ave. panicle length (cm) 12 10 11 10 7 6

6 Ave. no. of grains/panicle 66 49 53 49 38 37

7 Grain yield (Q/Ha) 21 20 20 23 18 16

8 Straw yield (Q/Ha) 74 85 74 80 72 64

The highest SWI yield was obtained with spacing: 15 cm x 15 cm The highest SWI yield was obtained with spacing: 15 cm x 15 cm row-to-row and 15 cm x 15 cm plant-to-plant row-to-row and 15 cm x 15 cm plant-to-plant

S.

No.

Particulars SWI Conventional

Row-to-row spacing (cm) 20 X 20 15 x 15 10 x 10 15 x 15 Broadcasting

Plant-to-plant spacing (cm) 20 X 20 15 x 15 10 x 10 10 x 10

1 Area (sq.m) 71 78 80 70 170 160

2 Ave. no. of tillers (range) 17

(10-27)

15

(7-22)

17

(7-36)

11

(6-16)

4

(2-8)

5

(2-9)

3 Ave. plant height (cm) 84 80 80 80 74 71

4 Ave. no. of panicles per plant 12 10 10 14 5 4

5 Ave. panicle length (cm) 14 12 11 11 7 76

6 Ave. no. of grains/panicle 51 67 56 55 36 28

7 Grain yield (Q/ha) 25 23 21 22 15 14

8 Straw yield (Q/ha) 78 74 72 76 66 64

Comparison of results for SWI and conventional method of Comparison of results for SWI and conventional method of PBW - 396 wheat variety at DehradunPBW - 396 wheat variety at Dehradun

Highest SWI yields with this variety were obtained at spacing: Highest SWI yields with this variety were obtained at spacing: 20 cm x 20 cm row-to-row and 20 cm x 20 cm plant-to-plant 20 cm x 20 cm row-to-row and 20 cm x 20 cm plant-to-plant

• Optimum row to row and plant to plant spacing

is 15 cms x 15 cms and 20 cms x 20 cms

• SWI is too labour-intensive

• Need to design a seed drill for sowing at fixed

spacing.

• Weeder/hoe needs to be designed for

intercultural operations

• Organic composting required for higher yields

Lessons & Recommendations for SWI Lessons & Recommendations for SWI for Mountainous Regionsfor Mountainous Regions

SRI: Perceived benefits & constraintsSRI: Perceived benefits & constraints

A. BENEFITS

• Less seed requirement

• Saving in water

• Decreased workload

• Promotes equity

• Early maturity

• Higher grain yields

• Increased biomass

• Improves soil fertility

B. CONSTRAINTS

• Time-bound operations

• Labour-intensive

• Accessibility to weeders and markers

• Design modifications required in the Mandava weeder for small terraces

• Availability of water under rainfed conditions needed, especially after milking stage

Strategy required for popularising and promoting SRIStrategy required for popularising and promoting SRI

Kharif 2007Kharif 2007

• 30 capacity building workshops organised covering about 1000 farmers

• More than 600 farmers have adopted SRI in about 40 ha of paddy lands

• Application of SRI method for cultivation of finger millets (mandwa) and pulses (rajma) in 100 mountain farms

Moving aheadMoving ahead

SRI: A boon for mountain farmersSRI: A boon for mountain farmers

• Small farmholding, about 0.4 ha (1 acre) per family

SRI POTENTIAL TO ADDRESS SRI POTENTIAL TO ADDRESS THE FOOD SECURITY AND THE FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOOD NEEDS OF SMALL LIVELIHOOD NEEDS OF SMALL AND MARGINAL FARMERSAND MARGINAL FARMERS

• Rice is the staple food of the residing populace

• Higher stalk volume means more fodder for the cattle

• More farmyard manure and possibly increased milk yields

• Promotes a sustainable and more equitable mode of paddy cultivation

Thank YouThank You

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INDIA

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