Extract from SRI Village Project Compilation Report

Pragati experiences in SRI

Pragati pioneered the trials on SRI in Koraput district. The organization is working for food security of poor and marginalized families of the district since 1992 through natural resource management, promotion of grain banks and reinforcing the forest based livelihoods, SRI would help achieve our mission. Demonstration was taken up for the first time in   5.5 acres land of 11 farmers in Koraput block during Kharif 2006 with encouraging results as all the farmers have harvested more than double to 4 times of crop.

SRI Village under RKVY

The govt. under its RKVY scheme is implementing SRI village programme in each of the 30 districts of Orissa in Rabi 2008-09 with a target to impart training to 100 farmers and take up demonstration for 50 farmers in 50 acres in each SRI village (with a budget of Rs 3,33000/- for each village). The objective of the programme is to spread the practice of SRI that can increase yield by 40% or   the farmers can get an enhanced yield of 10 quintal per acre which will increase the income of farmers by 4,25,000/- based on minimum support price. Such demonstration in compact patch would have visible impact on other farmers and help in further diffusion of the practice.

Pragati, Koraput in association with Agriculture department & ATMA (Rashtriya Krushi Vikash Yojana), Koraput has taken up the SRI village programme in Rabi 2008-09 for demonstration of SRI covering 50 acres land of 50 farmers in Randhapalli and Sankaudi villages. These villages were chosen due to irrigation facilities though we did not have any previous intervention in the areas.

For the full report please see SRI Village Project Compilation Report

Tracking for food security

 An extract from Tracking for food security

Paddy being the principal crop and staple food of the people needs attention for increase of production and productivity. There is hardly any scope for getting additional land for food crops and paddy cultivation and hence to meet the projected demand for food security, the gains in rice production must come largely from higher yields. With water supplies available for agriculture squeezing, it is equally clear that a substantial increase in water inputs for boosting rice production to the required level would compromise human needs and integrity of eco system. Given these constraints the inundation method of rice cultivation will obviously become unaffordable, primarily in terms of water resources. Further profitability of rice growing farmers has declined due to increasing prices of inputs and relatively stable prices for rice putting the economy of rice cultivation and cultivators under pressure.           

SRI offers an attractive alternative to improve paddy productivity. It is a system of practices that can bring about improvements in total factors of productivity of land, capital, water and labour. The first experiments with SRI in Koraput were tried out by Pragati, Koraput in Kharif 2006 with demonstration for 11 farmers in 5.5 acres of land in Koraput block. In spite of technical hitches and glitches it was observed that all the farmers harvested double  to 4 times  as compared to traditional method of paddy cultivation  with less seeds, low water intake  and of couse organically. Since then more and more farmers have started adopting SRI.

For the full story, please see Tracking for food security

      Laying the foundation for a new practice

An extract from Case Study - SRI farmer Dibaka Jani

Today agriculture is passing through a crucial phase. Over the past 50 to 60 years, the focus of all agricultural development has mainly been on maximizing yields coupled with increasing specialization in production and ever larger farm sizes. Although yields have increased substantially contributing to increase in the ratio of total production but the small and marginal farmers and the environment have become victims at the alter of sacrifice. The ever increasing costs of cultivation due to dependency on external inputs, fluctuations in market prices coupled with vagaries of monsoon have made agriculture based livelihoods unviable.

This is the story of Dibakar Jani, a marginal farmer who has successfully experimented with a new technology to increase production from the same field where the farmer used to sow and forget till harvesting since the yield was negligible. As we dive through his initiatives we find the inputs he used, the costs involved and the lessons he learnt. In June 2006 Dibakar had the opportunity to be a part of 32 member team of farmers who received field based training cum demonstration on Organic practices and SRI (System of Rice Intensification) technology of paddy cultivation. “I was so much excited that I at once made up my mind to experiment with it whatever may be the output.” says Dibakar.

 Dibakar Jani is a resident of Dayanidhiguda village, 8km away from the district headquarters at Koraput. He lives with his wife Bhagyabati, two sons and two daughters. His eldest daughter has studied up to primary classes and son has not qualified through matriculation. Now both of them help their parents in agricultural activities. The younger son and daughter are studying in high school. Dibakar has no land of his own. He grows paddy in a piece of govt land (half acre) i.e. only during rainy season. If the nature is merciful and there is no disaster, the yield he gets support the food requirement of his family for only two months. For the rest period of the year, he has to depend on wage labour since he has no alternate means of livelihood.

For the full story, please see Case Study - SRI farmer Dibaka Jani

SRI can enhance income

An extract from SRI - Women

Damayanti Nari Pragati Sangha organized training on SRI at Kundura. Six women members of Maa Mahima Self Help Group of Hardoli village - Ghumar Panchayat of Kotpad block got an opportunity to participate in the training. The training has a good impact on the members both directly and indirectly. Four trained members convinced their families to adopt SRI in half acre of land each. They took an active role Laxmi swain - President and Yuba Batra – Secretary could further impact training to the other four members of the group. All the group member are skilled or Nursery raising, transplantation, use of marker, weeding and planting besides doing in their own field they also used their skill to enhance their income.

In traditional method of paddy cultivation the women of this group also worked as agricultural labourers to supplement their house hold income. Usually they used to take to planting in 1 acre of land Rs. 2100/- @ Rs.30/- per head where 70 labors for one day were required to planting in one acre. They also used to take up contracts for Rs.1500/- to 1800/- in one Ac. But in transplanting in SRI these women could increase their income.

For the full story, please see SRI - Women