Presented by: Norman Uphoff, CIIFAD, Cornell University, USA Presented at: International Conference on Sustainable Development in the Context of Climate Change- Asian Institute of Technology Presented on: September 24, 2009

1. Agroecological Approaches to
Climate-Proofing our Agriculture
while also Raising Productivity
International Conference on
Sustainable Development in
the Context of Climate Change
Asian Institute of Technology
September 24, 2009
Norman Uphoff, Cornell University

2. Climate Change includes both:
* Global warming, and
* Increase in ‘extreme events’
* Drought (water stress)
* Storms (rain, wind, flooding)
* Extreme temperatures
For agriculture,extreme events are
most serious kind of climate change
* Climate change (abiotic stress)
usually means greater incidence of
pests and diseases (biotic stress)

3. 21st
Century presents different
conditions from the 20th
century:
* Less land per capita changes the
economics of large-scale, extensive
cultivation → raise land productivity
* Less availability and reliability of water
→ need for water productivity
* Higher energy costs make large-scale,
mechanized production and long-distance
trade in agricultural commodities less
profitable → new patterns of trade

4. Other differences compared to
20th
Century:
* Greater and growing public concern
for environmental conservation/quality
- agro-chemicals becoming less acceptable
* Accessibility of technology to the poor
is a greater concern because hunger
and poverty are still major problems
These and other considerations
suggest a need for evolving what can
be called ‘post-modern agriculture’

5. ‘Ascending Migration of Endophytic Rhizobia,
from Roots and Leaves, inside Rice Plants and
Assessment of Benefits to Rice Growth Physiology’
Rhizo-
bium test
strain
Total plant
root
volume/
pot (cm3
)
Shoot dry
weight/
pot (g)
Net photo-
synthetic
rate
(μmol-2
s-1
)
Water
utilization
efficiency
Area (cm2
)
of flag leaf
Grain
yield/
pot (g)
Ac-ORS571 210 ± 36A
63 ± 2A 16.42 ± 1.39A
3.62 ± 0.17BC
17.64 ± 4.94ABC
86 ± 5A
SM-1021 180 ± 26A
67 ± 5A 14.99 ± 1.64B
4.02 ± 0.19AB
20.03 ± 3.92A
86 ± 4A
SM-1002 168 ± 8AB
52 ± 4BC 13.70 ± 0.73B
4.15 ± 0.32A
19.58 ± 4.47AB
61 ± 4B
R1-2370 175 ± 23A
61 ± 8AB 13.85 ± 0.38B
3.36 ± 0.41C
18.98 ± 4.49AB
64 ± 9B
Mh-93 193 ± 16A
67 ± 4A 13.86 ± 0.76B
3.18 ± 0.25CD
16.79 ± 3.43BC
77 ± 5A
Control 130 ± 10B
47 ± 6C 10.23 ± 1.03C
2.77 ± 0.69D
15.24 ± 4.0C
51 ± 4C
Feng Chi et al.,Applied and Envir. Microbiology 71 (2005), 7271-7278

6. * Agroecology is based upon
the life in the soil (systems)
-- recognizing the precedence
of soil biology > soil chemistry
* By improving plants’ growing
environment (E), we can induce
more productive phenotypes
from any genotype (G)

7. CUBA: two plants of
same variety (VN 2084)

8. System of Rice Intensification
(SRI) developed in Madagascar
in 1980s has made these ideas
and principles very concrete
--and very powerful, especially
with regard to Climate Change

9. SRI Experience in Madagascar
Small farmers (ave. <1 ha)
-- on some of ‘poorest’ soils
that had previously yielded
2 tons/ha -- were able to
average 8 tons/ha without
new seeds or fertilizer
Same results from a larger
French-funded project for
irrigation improvement on
the High Plateau; also seen
in a 1996 study sponsored
by French aid (N=108)

10. SRI Not a Technology = 6 Core Ideas
1. Use young seedlings to preserve growth potential
(although direct seeding is becoming an option)
2. Avoid trauma to the roots --transplant quickly,
carefully, shallow; no inversion of root tips upward
3. Give plants wider spacing – one plant per hill
and in square pattern to achieve edge effect
4. Keep paddy soil moist but unflooded – mostly
aerobic, not continuously saturated (hypoxic)
5. Actively aerate the soil -- as much as possible
6. Enhance soil organic matter as much as possible
Practices 1-3 support more plant growth; practices 4-6
enhance the growth and health of roots and soil
biota

11. These Changes in Practices Lead to:
1. Increased grain yield by 50-100% or more if
farmers’ yields are presently low
2. Reduced irrigation water requirements by
25-50%; SRI adapted to rainfed cropping
3. Lower costs of production by 10-20%, so
net income increases by more than yield
4. Higher milling outturn by ca.15%; less chaff
and fewer broken grains → more food
5. Less need for agrochemical use because of
natural resistance to pests and diseases
6. Resistance to abiotic stresses due to bigger,
stronger root systems and soil biotic activity

12. APPLICATIONS TO
OTHER CROPS
• Wheat
• Sugar cane
• Finger millet
• Teff
• Kidney beans
• Cotton
• Vegetables?

13. Finger Millet Intensification
(left); regular management of
improved variety (center) and of
traditional variety (right), India

14. Research on Applying/Adapting SRI Methods to Other CropsResearch on Applying/Adapting SRI Methods to Other Crops
– People’s Science Institute, Dehradun– People’s Science Institute, Dehradun
Crop No. of
Farmer
s
Area
(ha)
Grain
Yield
(Q/ha)
%
Incr.
2006 Conv
.
SRI
1 Rajma 5 0.4 14 20 43
2 Mandwa 5 0.4 18 24 33
3 Wheat Research
Farm
5.0 16 22 38
2007
1 Rajma 113 2.26 18 30 67
2 Mandwa 43 0.8 15 24 60
3 Wheat (I) 25 0.23 22 43 95
4 Wheat
(UI)
25 0.09 16 26 63
Rajma (kidney bean)
Manduwa (finger millet)
From powerpoint report to 3rd
National SRI Symposium, TNAU,
Coimbatore, Dec. 1-3, 2008

15. ICRISAT-WWF
Sugarcane Initiative:
at least 20% more
cane yield, with:
• 30% reduction in
water, and
• 25% reduction in
chemical inputs
‘The inspiration for putting
this package together is
from the successful
approach of SRI – System
of Rice Intensification.’

16. Requirements/Constraints
1. Water control to apply small amounts of
water reliably; may need drainage facilities
2. Supply of biomass for making compost – can
use fertilizer as alternative
3. Crop protection may be necessary, although
usually more resistance to pests & diseases
4. Mechanical weeder is desirable as this can
aerate the soil as well as control weeds
5. Skill & motivation of farmers most important;
need to learn new practices; SRI can become
labor-saving once techniques are mastered
6. Support of experts? have faced opposition

17. Status of SRI: As of 1999
Known and practiced only in Madagascar

18. MADAGASCAR: Rice field grown with SRI methods

19. SRI benefits have been demonstrated in 34 countries
in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
Before 1999: Madagascar
1999-2000: China, Indonesia
2000-01: Bangladesh, Cuba
Cambodia, Gambia, India, Laos,
Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sierra
Leone, Sri Lanka, Thailand
2002-03: Benin, Guinea,
Mozambique, Peru
2004-05: Senegal, Mali,
Pakistan, Vietnam
2006: Burkina Faso, Bhutan,
Iran, Iraq, Zambia
2007: Afghanistan, Brazil
2008: Egypt, Rwanda, Congo,
Ecuador, Costa Rica, Ghana
> 1 million ha and farmers
2009: SRI benefits have been validated in 36
countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America

20. CAMBODIA: Farmer in
Takeo Province: yield of
6.72 tons/ha > 2-3 t/ha

21. AFGHANISTAN: SRI field in Baghlan Province, supported by
Aga Khan Foundation Natural Resource Management program

22. Afghanistan: SRI field at 30 days

23. SRI plant 72 days after
transplanting – 133 tillers
Yield calculated
at 11.56 tons/ha

24. Indonesia:
Rice plants
same variety
and same age
in Lombok
Province

25. Indonesia: Results of 9 seasons of
on-farm comparative evaluations of
SRI by Nippon Koei, 2002-06
• No. of trials: 12,133
• Total area covered: 9,429.1 hectares
• Ave. increase in yield: 3.3 t/ha (78%)
• Reduction in water requirements: 40%
• Reduction in fertilizer use: 50%
• Reduction in costs of production: 20%

26. MALI: Farmer in the
Timbuku region shows
difference between
regular rice and SRI
rice plants, 2007
First year trials:
SRI yield 8.98 t/ha
Control yield 6.7 t/ha
Expanded trials in
2008 with support of
Better U Foundation

27. SRI Control
Farmer
Practice
Yield t/ha* 9.1 5.49 4.86
Standard Error (SE) 0.24 0.27 0.18
% Change compared to
Control
+ 66 100 - 11
% Change compared to
Farmer Practice
+ 87 + 13 100
Number of
Farmers
53 53 60
• * adjusted to 14% grain moisture content
MALI: Rice grain yield for SRI plots,
control plots and farmer-practice plots,
Goundam circle, Timbuktu region, 2008

28. IRAQ: Comparison trials at Al-Mishkhab Rice Research Station, Najaf

29. IRAN: SRI
roots and
normal
(flooded)
roots: note
difference in
color as well
as size

30. What relevance of SRI to
CLIMATE CHANGE?
1. RESISTANCE TO
DROUGHT

31. Journal of Sichuan Agricultural Science and Technology
(2009), Vol. 2, No. 23
“Introduction of Land-Cover Integrated Technologies with Water
Saving and High Yield” -- Lv Shihua et al.
• Yield in normal year is 150-200 kg/mu (2.25-3.0 t/ha);
yield in drought year is 200 kg/mu (3.0 t/ha) or even more
• Net income in normal year is increased by new methods
from profit of 100 ¥/mu to 600-800 ¥/mu (i.e., from profit of
$220/ha to >$1,500/ha)
• Net income in drought year with new methods goes from
loss of 200-300 ¥/mu to 300-500 ¥/mu profit (from a loss of
$550/ha to a profit of $880/ha)

32. SRI LANKA: Rice paddies,with same soil, same variety,
same irrigation system and same drought, three weeks
after water was stopped: conventional (left), SRI (right)

33. 2. RESISTANCE TO STORM
DAMAGE (LODGING)

34. VIETNAM: Farmer in Dông Trù village – after typhoon

35. China: Bu Tou village, Zhejiang
• 2004: Nie Fu-qiu had
best yield in province: 12
t/ha
• 2005: Even though his
SRI rice fields were hit by
3 typhoons – he was able
to harvest 11.15 tons/ha
- while other farmers’
fields were badly affected
by the storm damage
• 2008: Nie used chemical

36. 3. TOLERANCE OF EXTREME
TEMPERATURES

37. PeriodPeriod Mean max.Mean max.
temp.temp. 00
CC
Mean min.Mean min.
temp.temp. 00
CC
No. ofNo. of
sunshine hrssunshine hrs
1 – 151 – 15 NovNov 27.727.7 19.219.2 4.94.9
16–3016–30 NovNov 29.629.6 17.917.9 7.57.5
1 – 15 Dec1 – 15 Dec 29.129.1 14.614.6 8.68.6
16–31 Dec16–31 Dec 28.128.1 12.212.2++
8.68.6
Meteorological and yield data from ANGRAU
IPM evaluation, Andhra Pradesh, India, 2006
SeasonSeason Normal (t/ha)Normal (t/ha) SRI (t/ha)SRI (t/ha)
Kharif 2006Kharif 2006 0.21*0.21* 4.164.16
Rabi 2005-06Rabi 2005-06 2.252.25 3.473.47
* Low yield due to cold injury (see above)
+Sudden drop in min. temp. between 16–21 Dec. (9.2-9.80
C for 5 days)

38. 4. PEST AND DISEASE
RESISTANCE
(Biotic stresses)

39. Reduction in Diseases and Pests
Vietnam National IPM Program evaluation
based on data from 8 provinces, 2005-06
Spring season Summer season
SRI
Plots
Farmer
Plots
Differ-
ence
SRI
Plots
Farmer
Plots
Differ-
ence
Sheath
blight
6.7% 18.1% 63.0% 5.2% 19.8% 73.7%
Leaf blight
-- -- -- 8.6% 36.3% 76.5%
Small leaf
folder *
63.4 107.7 41.1% 61.8 122.3 49.5%
Brown
plant
hopper *
542 1,440 62.4% 545 3,214 83.0%
AVERAGE 55.5% 70.7%
* Insects/m2

40. Insects
(their damage
or population)
SRI cultivation
(mean ± SE)
Conventional
cultivation
(mean ± SE)
t value
(difference)
(SRI reduction)
Cut worm
(% damaged leaves
per hill)
17.9 ± 1.9
(18.0)
23.2 ± 2.0
(19.1)
6.6**
- 23%
Thrips
(per hill)
6.6 ± 0.1
(2.2)
20.2 ± 2.0
(4.1)
12.2**
- 67%
Green leaf hopper
(per hill)
0.6 ± 0.1
(1.0)
1.1 ± 0.2
(1.2)
10.7**
- 45%
Brown plant hopper
(per hill)
1.1 ± 0.2
(1.2)
2.7 ± 0.2
(1.8)
14.4**
- 60%
Whorl maggot
(% truncated leaves
per hill)
5.6 ± 1.8
(5.9)
8.8 ± 1.4
(9.1)
4.5**
- 36%
India: Pest incidence in main field (TNAU)
Figures in parentheses are transformed values ** significant difference (P<0.001)

41. 5. OFTEN SHORTER CROP
CYCLE (by 1-3 weeks)
1. Reduces water requirements
2. Reduces crops’ exposure to
adverse climate risks and to
pests and diseases
3. Increases opportunities for
growing other crops

42. Reduced Time to Maturity
when Using Younger Seedlings
51 Nepali SRI farmers planted the same
145-day variety (Bansdhan) in monsoon
season, 2005
Age of N of Days to Reduction
seedling farmers harvest (in days)
>14 d 9 138.5 6.5
10-14 d 37 130.6 14.4
8-9 d 5 123.6 21.4
SRI doubled average yield: 3.1 → 6.3 t/ha

43. Crop duration from seed to seed for different rice
varieties using SRI vs. conventional methods,
Morang district, Nepal, 2008 season
Varieties
Conventional
duration (days)
SRI duration
(days)
Difference
(days)
Mansuli 155 136 (126-146) 19 (9-29)
Swarna 155 139 (126-150) 16 (5-29)
Radha 12 155 138 (125-144) 17 (11-30)
Bansdhan/Kanchhi 145 127 (117-144) 18 (11-28)
Barse 2014 135 127 (116-125) 8 (10-19)
Barse 3017 135 118 17
Sugandha 120 106 (98-112) 14 (8-22)
Hardinath 1 120 107 (98-112) 13 (8-22)
Data from Morang district, Nepal, 2008 main season

44. 6. GREATER PLANT
WATER-USE EFFICIENCY

45. AN ASSESSMENT OF PHYSIOLOGICAL
EFFECTS OF THE SYSTEM OF RICE
INTENSIFICATION (SRI) COMPARED
WITH RECOMMENDED RICE
CULTIVATION PRACTICES IN INDIA
A.K. THAKUR, N. UPHOFF, E. ANTONY
Water Technology Centre for Eastern Region,
Bhubaneswar-751023, Orissa, India,
Ratio of photosynthesis to transpiration
reflects water-use efficiency
Loss of 1 millimol of water (transpiration)
SRI: 3.6 millimols of CO2 fixed
RMP: 1.6 millimols of CO2 fixed

46. Parameters Cultivation method
SRI RMP LSD.05
Total chlorophyll (mg g-1
FW) 3.37 (0.17) 2.58 (0.21) 0.11
Chlorophyll a/b ratio 2.32 (0.28) 1.90 (0.37) 0.29
Transpiration (m mol m-2
s-1
) 6.41 (0.43) 7.59 (0.33) 0.27
Net photosynthetic rate
(μ mol m-2
s-1
)
23.15
(3.17)
12.23
(2.02)
1.64
Stomatal conductance
(m mol m-2
s-1
)
422.73
(34.35)
493.93
(35.93)
30.12
Internal CO2 concentration (ppm) 292.6 (16.64) 347.0 (19.74) 11.1
Comparison of chlorophyll content, transpiration rate,
net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and
internal CO2 concentration in SRI and RMP
Standard deviations are given in parentheses (n = 15).

47. 7. POSSIBLE REDUCTION
IN GREENHOUSE GASES

48. Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from
Paddy Rice Fields in Indonesia
Comparison of SRI and surrounding conventional fields -
SRI Experiment Plots + Farmers Fields
Tabo-Tabo
Jampue
Langunga
Penarungan
Sungsang
Dr. KIMURA Sonoko Dorothea
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

49. Methods
 Closed-chamber method
Features: 30cm×30cm×60cm dimensions,
equipped with thermometer, pressure bag,
and gas sampling tube (foldable)
 Measurements taken at 0, 10- and 20-minute
intervals 10ml vacuum vial→
Each field: 2-3 replications
N2O ＆ CH4 measured by GC-ECD→ ＆ GC-
FID
Parameters: soil temperature, stem number,
days after planting, plant height, variety etc.
Dates: 2008 / 3 / 20-23

50. 0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI1
SRI2
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
SRI Lombok Tabo-Tabo Jampue Langunga Pena
rungan
Sungsang
Methane FluxCH4Flux (mgCm-2
h-1
)
Error bar stands for standard deviation

51. Nitrous Oxide Flux
N2OFlux (μgNm-2
h-1
)
-300
-200
-100
0
100
200
300
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI1
SRI2
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
Conv
SRI
SRI Lombok Tabo-Tabo Jampue Langunga Pena
rungan
Sungsang
Error bar stands for standard deviation

52. CH4 Flux
Water status at the time of sampling had a greater influence
on CH4 flux than did the difference between SRI and
conventional methods. However, since SRI fields tend to
be drained, CH4 flux tended to be higher in conventional
fields. Highest CH4 emission was found during early
growing stages with conventional methods.
N2O Flux
High variability. Unexpected negative flux in some fields.
SRI fields tended to emit more N2O than conventional
fields -- but the SRI values are in the range found for
conventional paddy fields (see F.M. Honmachi, 2007 --
total emission 0-0.2 kg N ha-1
).
Conclusion

53. Highlights of S.R.I.
Research in Indonesia
Iswandi Anas, D. K. Kalsim, Budi I. Setiawan,
Yanuar, and Sam Herodian, Bogor Agricultural
University (IPB)
Presented at workshop on S.R.I
at Ministry of Agriculture,
Jakarta, June 13, 2008

54. Waktu Pengamatan
METHANE
EMISSION

55. N2O
EMISSION

56. Yan, X., H. Akiyama, K. Yagi and H. Akomoto. Global
estimations of the inventory and mitigation potential
of methane emissions from rice cultivation conducted
using the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change Guidelines. Global Biochemical Cycles, (2009)
“We estimated that if all of the continuously flooded rice fields were
drained at least once during the growing season, the CH4 emissions
would be reduced by 4.1 Tg a-1 . Furthermore, we estimated that applying
rice straw off-season wherever and whenever possible would result in a
further reduction in emissions of 4.1 Tg a-1 globally. … if both of these
mitigation options were adopted, the global CH4 emission from rice
paddies could be reduced by 7.6 Tg a-1. Although draining continuously
flooded rice fields may lead to an increase in nitrous oxide (N2O)
emission, the global warming potential resulting from this increase is
negligible when compared to the reduction in global warming potential
that would result from the CH4 reduction associated with draining
the fields.”

57. CONCLUSIONS ON:
CLIMATE-PROOFING
AGRICULTURE

58. Strategy for Post-Modern
Agriculture with Climate Change
1. Grow roots, and shoots/plants will follow
2. Promote the life in the soil – special focus
on achieving below-ground biodiversity!
3. Improve soil structure and functioning
4. Focus on ‘green water’ > ‘blue water’
5. Increase SOC as priority because this is
a ‘two-fer,’ also reduces atmospheric CO2
6. Reduce chemical-dependence in agriculture

59. Estimated marginal value product of nitrogen fertilizer
(Kshs/kg N) conditional on plot soil carbon content
(Marenya and Barrett, AJAE, 2009)
Plot content (%) of soil organic carbon (SOC)
In Western Kenya, applying N fertilizer to soil with
< 3-4% SOC does not repay farmers’ expenditure

60. THANK YOU
• Web page:
http://ciifad.cornell.edu/sri/
• Email: ciifad@cornell.edu or
ntu1@cornell.edu