1434 - Improving and Scaling Up the System of Rice Intensification in West Africa
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The document outlines a project aimed at improving the system of rice intensification (SRI) across 13 West African countries to boost rice production and adapt to varied growing conditions. By focusing on eco-friendly practices and involving local farmers as 'SRI champions,' the project seeks to enhance productivity while using fewer resources. Innovations in data collection and communication tools are also being developed to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among farmers in the region.
1434 - Improving and Scaling Up the System of Rice Intensification in West Africa
- 1. Improving and Scaling up the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in West Africa P675 Jenkins, D1; Traoré, G2; Styger, E1; Bagayoko, M2. West Africa is the rice basket of Sub-Saharan Africa, yet stagnating yields and a rapidly rising population threaten the region’s economic stability and food security. Conventional efforts to reverse this haven’t led to widespread productivity gains, meaning that a new approach may be needed. An innovative 13-country project using the System of Rice Intensification aims to change this. About SRI About the N i g e r M a l i B u r k i n a F a s o N i g e r i a 2014 SRI Zones G u i n e a Liberia S e n e g a l C ô t e d’Ivoire S i e r r a L e o n e B e n i n T o g o T h e G a m b i a G h a n a Minimize competition between plants Innovative Project Design Creating New Platforms Advancing Agriculture This project is both improving rice production in the region, and adapting and improving SRI to respond to the diverse rice growing conditions found in West Africa: in Liberia farmers are pioneering dry season lowland rice farming using SRI; farmers across the region are adapting SRI to rainfed upland conditions; and mechanized tools are being adapted to make labor intensive tasks like seeding and weeding faster and easier for farmers. 1SRI International Network and Resources Center (SRI-Rice), 624 Bradfield Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA 2Centre National de Spécialisation sur le Riz (CNS-RIZ), Institut d’Economie Rurale, BP 258, Bamako, Mali Contacts: Dr. Gaoussou Traoré – gtraore9@yahoo.fr / Dr. Erika Styger – eds8@cornell.edu ©2014 SRI-Rice and CNS-Riz Design: Devon Jenkins and Erika Styger SRI is an agroecological, knowledge-based rice growing methodology that helps farmer produce more rice using fewer resources: • 80-95% less seed • 30-50% less water (for irrigated rice) • Reduction in agrochemical use • 30% or higher increase in yield Following four simple principles, farmers can adapt SRI to their local conditions – including irrigated, rainfed lowland, and rainfed upland production. Enhance soil organic matter and soil biota Photo: Erika Styger, SRI-Rice 3 Manage water to avoid flooding, drought stress Photo: Erika Styger, SRI-Rice 4 Photo: Erika Styger, SRI-Rice 2 Favor early and healthy plant establishment Photo: Erika Styger, SRI-Rice 1 Project SRI Sites Other Notable SRI Sites Based off these four principles, some common practices include: • Transplanting at the two-leaf stage • Planting in a grid pattern, with 1 plant/hill (1-2 if direct seeded), and 25 cm spacing between plants in each direction • Aerobic soil management during the vegetative growth stage • Reduced tillage where possible • Mechanical weeding or mulching to control weeds Project The three-year first phase of ‘Improving and Scaling Up the System of Rice Intensification’ started in January 2014, as part of the World Bank-financed West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP). In each of the 13 project countries, WAAPP staff work in collaboration with local partners, including NGOs, research institutes, extension services, and farmers’ organizations. The regional coordination – led by Mali’s CNS-Riz with technical support from Cornell University’s SRI-Rice Center – supports and oversees international cooperation and exchange, facilitating an adaptation and scaling-up process that takes advantage of the regional nature of this project. The innovative nature of SRI is reflected in the project’s design. SRI has historically been a farmer-led innovation process. Building on this, the project uses an innovative structure to give farmers, field technicians and trainers the opportunity to play a prominent role as ‘SRI Champions.’ These SRI Champions help shape project activities and budgets, and form a vital link in a two-way decision making and implementation process. Acting alongside the SRI Champions and the WAAPP structures in each country, National Facilitators steer the process locally, engaging partner organizations to maximize collaboration and synergies. Find Out More... There’s space for you in this project – get involved! Project Website The project website has the latest information about project activities in each country, and dozens of resources for adapting SRI to local conditions: www.sriwestafrica.org Project Newsletter Look for quarterly news-letters for updates on the latest stories from the field: www.sriwestafrica.org/documents Agroecozones in West Africa cut narrow bands across multiple countries, creating both challenges and opportunities. For SRI to be successfully adapted to the diverse conditions found in the region, knowledge, ideas and innovations will need to be shared freely and quickly between countries. To make this a reality, we are reimagining research and extension roles, and creating new data collection and communications tools that can connect farmers in real time – turning them into full partners in the process of research and discovery. New mobile data collection and online mapping platforms are in development that could help transform agricultural research and extension in the region. Photo: Lorraine Perricone-Dazzo Photo: Lorraine Perricone-Dazzo Photo: Jean Apedoh