SRI on the System of Rice Intensification in Mali - Presented by Erika Styger, SRI Rice Director of Programs, Cornell University to the IARD class at Cornell University, November 16, 2012

1. The System of Rice Intensification
(SRI) – Case study of Mali
Erika Styger, PhD
SRI-Rice, Cornell University
IARD 4020 – Agriculture in Developing Nations
Cornell University, November 16, 2012

2. Importance of rice
• Rice is staple for ½ of world
population
• Agriculture production needs to increase
by 47% by 2050 to feed 9 million people
(OECD, 2012)
• Continuously flooded rice uses 2-3 times
more water than other irrigated
cereals(Bouman et al, 2007)
• Rice paddies contribute to 20% of human
Methane emissions (Yan et al, 2009)

3. World Rice Production 2010
2%
34%
31%
3%
25%
4%
World Rice Production (2010), FAO, viewed 9th October, 2012. (by Chartsbin.com)

4. Total water use by country
Water withdrawal for agricultural, industrial and municipal purposes by
country, includes freshwater as well as groundwater extraction
Source: FAO of the United Nations 2010, AQUASTAT online database, (by ChartsBin.com)
Irrigated rice uses 1/4 – 1/3 of global fresh water withdrawal
(Bouman et al, 2007)

5. Global methane emissions from rice fields
Global Methane
emissions from rice
fields: 25 million
tons/year
Mitigation:
•Through mid-
season drainage,
reduced by 4.1 Tg/y
•Apply straw in off-
season - 4.1 Tg/y,
•both by - 7.6 Tg/y
Estimated annual methane emission from global rice paddies at a spatial resolution of 5min
Xiaoyuan Yan et al (2009), Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol 23.

6. Our Challenges
Improve agricultural productivity
Improve food security
Reduce poverty
Environmentally sustainable practices
Withstand changing climate conditions
Source page web: http://sririce.org

7. Climate-Smart Agriculture
Triple Win
http://www.fao.org/climatechange/climatesmart/en/
Implemented through agro-ecological approaches:
•Conservation agriculture
•Agroforestry
•System of Rice Intensification
•others

8. What is SRI?
• The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is
a methodology
– For increasing the productivity of irrigated
rice cultivation
– By changing the management of plants,
soil, water and nutrients, while reducing
external inputs.
• Developed in the 1980s in Madagascar by
Father Henri de Laulanié
Source page web: http://sririce.org

9. Main principles of SRI method
1. Early, quick and healthy plant establishment
1. Reduced plant density
1. Organic matter enriched soils– keep soils
aerated – favor soil microbial development
1. Reduced and controlled water applications –
through alternate wetting and drying water
management

10. 6 Main Practices of SRI
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. Assure soil aeration
6. Use organic amendments
as base fertilization

11. SRI practices induce a
phenotypical change in rice
SRI Conventional SRI Conventional SRI Conventional
in IRAQ’s Al-Mishkhab Research Center, Najaf: SRI on left, Non-SRI on the right

12. Physiological and morphological changes
of SRI plants
• Tillers are thicker (+38%), Plants are higher (+24%)
• More tillers/hill (+100%)
• 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-

13. • Roots are deeper, longer, double the volume and
weight/ hill
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
Non SRI - flooded SRI – non flooded
Thiyagarajan et al. (2009) Principles and Practices of SRI in Tamil Nadu

14. 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%)

15. Summary of Benefits
• Yield Increase: often >50%
• Water savings: 30-50%
• Seed reduction: > 90%
• Reduced cost/ha, income increase
• Improved drought tolerance
Mali
Reduced chemical inputs
• Less chemical fertilizer 20-40% (to
100% = organic SRI)
• Improved tolerance towards pests
and diseases
– Pesticide reduction
Sheath blight disease
http://sririce.org

16. Spread of SRI up to 1999
Madagascar

17. 2012: SRI Phenotype effects have been validated in
>50 countries in Asia, Africa , and Latin America
Before 1999: Madagascar
2007: Afghanistan, Brazil, Mali
1999/2000: China, Indonesia
2000/01: Bangladesh, Cuba, Laos, 2008: Rwanda, Costa Rica,
Cambodia, Gambia, India, Nepal, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Japan
Myanmar, Philippines, Sierra Leone, 2009: Malaysia, Timor Leste
Sri Lanka, Thailand 2010: Kenya, DPRK,Panama, Haiti
2002/03: Benin, Guinea, Moz., Peru 2011: Korea, Taiwan, Colombia,
2004/05: Senegal, Pakistan, Tanzania
Vietnam 2012: Burundi, Dominican
2006: Burkina Faso, Bhutan, Iran, Republic, Niger, Nigeria, Togo
Iraq, Zambia

18. CON 3.6 t/ha SRI 9.5 t/ha
CON 5.6 t/ha
SRI 9.3 t/ha
CON 6.5 t/ha
High Altitude,
SRI 9.5 t/ha semi-arid climate
Tropical Climate, Medium Altitude: Tropical Savanna (1700m)
Bhutan Climate, Cuba Afghanistan
CON: 1.8 t/ha
CON: 5.5 t/ha
SRI 4.0 t/ha
SRI 9.1 t/ha Tropical Climate, Low Altitude
Arid Climate, Mali Cambodia – Rainfed SRI

19. Case Study: Mali, Timbuktu region
Sahelo-Saharien and
Saharien climate
• 150-200 mm rain/yr
• Annual mean Temp:
29.1°C (13°- 43°C)
Food Security: >70%
communes are
among most
vulnerable in Mali

20. 2007 - Year 1: Exploratory test
• Africare, Timbuktu region
• 1 farmer
• Farmers from surrounding
villages participate in a field
visit
• Farmers’ recommendations:
To evaluate SRI at larger
scale in 2008
• Yield: SRI : 9 t/ha, Control:
6.7 t/ha

21. 2008 - Year 2: Adapting SRI practices
• Africare and Government agriculture extension service
• 60 farmers in 12 villages in the Timbuktu region

22. Objectives and approaches 2008
• Adapt SRI principles to local
conditions in Timbuktu
• Communities take ownership of
SRI evaluation through
selected volunteer farmers
• Close technical back-stopping,
good data collection, develop
locally adapted SRI manual
• Side by side plot tests
• Exchange visits: farmers
representatives from Ministries,
technical programs, donors etc

23. Irrigated Rice in the Timbuktu region
Village Irrigation Perimeter
30-35 ha - 1 motor pump
Shared among 100 farmers
0.33 ha / farmers

24. Soil preparation
1. Application of manure (10-15 t/ha) 3. Breaking up chunks of soil
2. Soil tilling by hand or tractor 4 Land leveling

25. SRI (dry) Nursery Conventional nursery:
flooded condition
• Mix clay, sand and manure
• Sow after soaking seeds
for 24h
• Seedlings appear after 2
days
• Transplanting after 8 to 12
days (2 leaf-stage)

26. Why plant early?
Traditional transplanting SRI transplanting
Seedling age 30-60 days 8-12 days (2 leaf stage)

27. Why plant early?
High tiller production when planted early
35
30 SRI
25
20
15
FP
10
m
h
b
u
n
T
e
r
/
l
i
5
0
12 21 30 40 50 60 70
Days after seed germination
A phyllochron is a regular interval of plant growth, ranging
usually between 5 and 8 days for rice, when plant produces a
unit of plant growth that induces tiller and root formation
SRI plants complete greater number of phyllochrons -- reaching 10th
phyllochron with SRI management vs. 8th phyllochron with Traditional
Practices (Thakur, 2010)

28. SRI Transplanting
Increase spacing between plants
Shallow planting
Root protection

29. Conventional Transplanting
3-4 plants/hill, closer spacing, 30-45 day old seedlings

30. SRI Irrigation
During vegetative period
Alternate Wetting and Drying
• Introducing 1-2 cm of water
• Let the plot dry until cracks become
visible
• Introducing another thin layer a water
etc.

31. Cono-weeding
• First weeding at 20 days after
transplanting, repeat every 7 to
10 days
• Incorporates weeds into soil
• Aerates soil
• Stimulates root growth
• Redistributes water across the
plot

32. Fields de Asseydou Alhassane, Hara-Hara
30 days after nursery establishment
SRI
Control
plot

33. Plant development I
Higher tiller number per plant in SRI
SRI
Control

34. Results: Timbuktu 60 farmers 2008
• Yield increase: from 5.5 t/ha to 9.1 t/ha (+66%)
• Less seed required: 85% à 90%
Quantity used for SRI: 6.1 kg/ha
Quantity used under usual farmer practice: 40-60 kg/ha
• Reduced fertilizer use: 30%
• Reduced irrigation water use: 10%
• Reduced production costs / kg paddy: 30%
• Increased revenue per hectare: more than double
(Styger et al, 2011)

35. Field Visits
Farmers
Government extension service
Researchers
NGOs and development programs
Donors, program developers and policy makers

36. Outputs of Year 2 activities
Blog: maintained
during cropping
season
Field guide Manual:
adapted to local
conditions of
Timbuktu, in French
Technical season report
http://sri.ciifad.cornell.edu/countries/mali/index.html

37. 2009 – Year 3: Scaling up
3 SRI Projects
– NGO Africare, funded by USAID and Better U Foundation
– IICEM project (Initiatives Intégrées pour la Croissance
Economique au Mali), funded by USAID
– IER (Institut d’Economie Rurale, the National Research
Institution), funded by Syngenta Foundation
in collaboration with the government agricultural extension
and research services
Objectives for 2009
1. Scaling up SRI practices in zones where SRI is already
known
2. Introducing SRI practices into new zones
3. Innovation development associated with SRI practices

38. 2009 - Year 3: Introducing SRI into new zones
Multiple partners at different levels: Africare (Better U Foundation), USAID
funded project IICEM, Syngenta Foundation, National Research,
National Extension Service, WBI videoconference, WB Ag project design
• Timbuktu
– 17 villages, 92 farmers
– Africare, IICEM
• Gao
– 8 villages, 39 farmers
– IICEM
• Mopti
– 6 villages, 44 farmers
– IICEM, IER
• Segou
– 2 villages, 37 farmers
– IER, Syngenta foundation
• Sikasso
– 3 villages, 10 farmers
– IICEM
Total: 5 regions, 36 villages, 222 farmers

39. 2009 Year 3: Scaling up SRI practices
Timbuktu region, Africare and Ministry of Agriculture
• Focus on socio-organization
of communities around SRI
implementations
• From 60 to 270 farmers (2008
to 2009)
• From 12 to 21 villages in
same region (improve area
coverage)
• Regroup SRI plots within
irrigation area: for learning, for
coordinated irrigation, weed
management etc
• Technical support reduced,
more farmer-to-farmer
learning
• Focus on innovative ideas

40. Natural Experiments (monitoring farmers’ fields)
Yields in relation to date of nursery seeding (n=130)
Kg/ha
14000
SRI
Control
12000 Linear (Control)
Linear (SRI)
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
--------- June --------- | ---------- July ------------ | --------7
1 2 3 4 5 6 August 8
---------- 9 --- Sept ---
| 10 11
Seeding date

41. SRI test with Oryza glaberrima varieties
3 Reasons: 1) Food security 2) Taste 3) Biodiversity
8
7
6
7.4 t/ha Moy 4.2 t/ha Moy 4.4 t/ha 2.6t/ha
5
4
3
2
1
0
ou
na
r
E
o
14
u
n
bo
be
w
TR
bo
a
ga
ul
em
ys
Ba
KA
am
be
Bo
Pa
na
D
D
Ko
D
G
ue
iq
at
Pr
Deep water Deep water SRI Rainfed SRI Traditional
improved SRI
rainfed

42. System of Wheat Intensification (SWI)
SWI Traditionel

43. Rainfed SRI Southern Mali
Yields SRI : 4.2 t/ha
Control: 3.0 t/ha
= 40% increase
Practices
– Single plant/hill yes
– Young seedlings – direct seeding yes
– Increased spacing yes
– Planting in line, grid pattern yes
– Mechanical weeding dryland weeder
– Improving soils with organic matter method
– Controlled water management no

44. SRI in 2010, 2011 and 2012 in Mali and beyond
• In 2010: First National workshop on SRI in Mali
• More than 50 well trained technicians in Mali
• Funding and coordination problems
• In 2011 (Year 5)
– Irrigated Rice: 340 ha, 3250 farmers, average yields 8.4
t/ha,
– Rainfed rice: 235 ha, 820 farmers, average yields 2.5
t/ha
• Since 2010: Regional SRI trainings organized from Mali by
IICEM project, NGO Africare, Regional Project E-ATP,
Burkina):
Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Togo,
Senegal.

45. SRI West Africa Initiative
• July 2012 First West Africa Workshop: 13 ECOWAS
countries to develop a West Africa SRI Network
http://sri.ciifad.cornell.edu/news/featured08.html
• Organized by National Center of Specialization on Rice, Mali
(under World Bank WAAPP program), SRI-Rice Cornell
University, CORAF/WECARD, Oxfam America
• Proposal under development for World Bank WAAPP
funding

46. Conclusions on Mali Case Study 1
• Agro-ecological methods need to be
developed in farmers’ fields
• ‘Volunteer’ participation in the adoption and
scaling up process is more sustainable (but
less predictable)
• Good technical back-stopping, data
collection and reporting is essential for
success

47. Conclusions on Mali Case Study II
• Drawback: Development programs can often
not respond well to bottom-up initiatives, are
often too short term oriented, and output
oriented
• Funding becomes a big challenge
• Coordination is necessary with growing
number of stakeholders (needs funding)
• Success depends also on leadership and
individuals

48. Web-based resources at
SRI-Rice Cornell University
http://sri.ciifad.cornell.edu or
http://sririce.org
•Information on 50 countries
•Practical Manuals on SRI
•Research site
•Daily news, blog, twitter, facebook
•Photo, Video, Powerpoint collections
Contact: Erika Styger, eds8@cornell.edu;
sririce@cornell.edu