MYRADA KVK, a well known institute in Erode district for its pioneering work in the fields of community development, participated watershed management and uplifting the agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner. As rice is the staple food for Erode district, the dominant system of water management in rice cultivation is irrigation upto 5 cm depth one day after disappearance of previously ponded water.
Depleted water resources, stagnated rice productivity, the growing importance of organic farming, increased production costs and the need of better utilization of family labour among small and marginal farmers calls shift in cultivation practice. The Systems Rice Intensification (SRI) offers a way to not just reduce the demand of water but also of increasing rice productivity.
SRI was introduced in Erode district in the year 2002 through MKVK and it has taken several initiatives to promote SRI in Erode
- State level workshop on SRI for nodal officers of Department of Agriculture in the year 2005
- Conducted number of front line demonstrations
- Farmers workshop on SRI
- To reduce labour cost, MKVK refined the drum seeder for SRI Method
- Field support was extended throughout the cropping period
- Before harvesting, exposure visits of farmers from adjoining villages were organized
- Coverage on SRI by information dissemination through print media
- Farmers calendar on SRI was developed in 2006
OUTCOME OF SRI INITIATIVES
- Application of organic inputs found to cost less for the farmers
- Uniform maturity with well filled bold grains
- Pest and disease incidence was found relatively lower in SRI as compared to that of conventional system especially with reference to stem borer
- Number of productive tillers increased from 15 to 38
- Grain yield was increased up to 20-32%
EXPERIENCES IN ADOPTION
- Drastic reduction in seed rate was itself a major benefit for the farmers
- Farmers who use ground water for rice cultivation very well recognize the less use of water
- SRI practice which involves little use of chemicals, was found to cost less for the farmers
- Difficulties in nursery bed preparation and transplantation
- The same method also practiced in ragi cultivation
Way forward
It’s now recognized that SRI benefits farmers, interms of reducing the cost of cultivation and increasing the net profit. The MKVK continue to further scaling upof SRI through
- Capacity building of farmers in adoption of SRI
- The success stories and information on SRI is disseminated through user friendly guides (local languages) local newspapers and magazines
- Development of location specific package of practicesM
- Farmers experiences from the fields will be shared in the farmers meeting
