Sustainable rice production using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method can benefit farmers by requiring less water, using natural fertilizers, and increasing yields. A case study of rural rice farmers in Kedah, Malaysia examined the impact of SRI practices on the local organic rice value chain. Interviews with farmers revealed that SRI innovatively conserves resources while protecting ecosystems. At the initial stage, government agencies provided seeds and farmers performed production activities. As the value chain developed, farmers took over seed propagation and needed more investment in infrastructure. Ultimately, the study concluded that SRI positively influences the organic rice value chain and that farmers play the most important role as both producers and main actors in the value chain.

1. Sustainable Rice Production and Its Impact on the
Rice Value Chain: A Case Study of Rural Paddy
Farm in Kedah
11th - 13th April, 2016
ISSC 2016
Presenter : Siti Norezam Othman
Co researchers: Zakirah, Kamal Ab Hamid, Noorulsadiqin Azbiya
Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia
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2. Overview of the presentation
• Why sustainable rice farming and value chain?
• What motivates us to conduct the study?
• What do we expect to discover from the study?
• How do we conduct the study?
• What do we discover from the study?
• What conclusion can be made?
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3. Why Sustainable Rice Production and Rice
Value Chain?
Sustainable rice production is
cultivating paddy using organic
inputs
Which lead to
Improvement of
Paddy ecosystem
and people’s quality
of life
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4. Sustainable Rice Production using System of
Rice Intensification Method
• 6 principles of SRI have innovative elements, where they focus on
efficiency, economical, and sustainable environment
The method has proven to benefit farmers in terms of
1. Well managed resources such as less water requirement
2. Using natural and organic fertilisers instead of chemical inputs
3. High yield of production due to single seedling approach and
causing less competition to grow compared if using direct seedlings
4. Controlling the pests not killing them
5. Improving the paddy ecosystem from micro organisms that
improve the soil nutrients as well as the well being of the farmers
such as health
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5. Why rice value chain?
• Value chain is a concept popularized by Porter to illustrate
how companies could achieve what he called “competitive
advantage” by adding value within their organization.
• Agriculture value chain concept is the approach of actors
connected along a chain producing and delivering goods to
consumers through a sequence of activities
• The approach has been found useful because it considers all
those factors impacting on the ability of farmers to access
markets profitably and to identify market opportunities for
small farmers
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6. What motivate us to conduct the study?
• Not many study done related to SRI organic rice
value chain
• Limited knowledge on factors impacting on the
ability of farmers to access markets
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7. What the study expect to discover?
• To what extent SRI Method impact the organic rice value
chain
• The roles and activities of the actors in the value chain at
initial stage
• The roles and activities of the actors in the value chain at
development stage
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8. How do we conduct the study?
• Adopt qualitative approach using case study method
• Acquire name of SRI farmers including their address from SRI Mas
• Select them based on predetermined criteria- 5 SRI paddy farming
location
• Acquire their consent (case samples) for interview and observation
• Set up appointment and conduct interview at their premise
• Record/document their responses
• Transcribe the responses and validate
• Conduct thematic analysis
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9. What did we discover?
SRI practices Innovative elements
• Efficiency in using water
resources
• Use not much seed but
maximum output
• Growth of the young seedling
is well taken care for survival
• Important for the paddy root
growth and plant health
• Protect the paddy ecosystem
• Promoting environmental
sustainability
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• Water requirement – aimed to
moisten the soil.
• Seed selection – aimed at
choosing fertile seed
• Planting seed singly in the tray
and transplant the young
seedlings to paddy field
• Controlling weed
• Controlling pest not killing them
• Using organic input
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10. 4/12/2016 ISSC 2016 10
Did the SRI practices affect the Value chain?

11. What did we discover? – Roles & activities of the
actor
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12. What did we discover?- roles & activities of the actor
Actor
Input
Seed provider
(govt. agency –
initial stage),
farmer
Pre-production Production Post
production
Farmer
Marketing and
retailing
Cooperative,
Private
Individual
farmer
Activities  Providing
seed to
farmer
(initial stage
–govt
agency)
 Self -
propagated
seeds by
farmer
 Labour input
 Land
 Machine and
equipment
Preparing Land & Water, Selecting fertile
seed,
Plant seeds in tray,
Transferring and planting single young
seedlings,
Weeding, Preparing organic fertilizer &
repellant,
harvesting, drying, storing and processing
Packaging,
marketing
and selling
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13. What did we discover during the
development stage?
• Seeds – self propagated by the farmers
• Investment on expansion is necessary on
working capital, infrastructure and others
• Extension services from government agencies
are important
• Marketing competencies are significant to
market the organic rice
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14. What did we discover?
The activities involved also other actors such as the
government agencies however, the main actor in
the value chain is the FARMER
The reasons are :
a)The volume of the paddy production not so high
b)Field size for paddy farming is small
c) Not a mass production
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15. Conclusion
• The impact of SRI method on organic rice value
chain is significant
• The roles and activities of the actors whether at
initial or development stage are almost similar.
Investment on working capital, infrastructure
are critical whether at initial or development
stages
• For organic rice value chain, the most important
actor is the farmer
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16. THANK YOU
Q & A
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