Promotional Policies for SRI Ravindra, A, WASSAN, Hyderabad www.wassan.org

“ SRI builds on the biological potential of rice plant by harnessing the complementarities of soil biological processes” SRI is a systems–approach, and it is also Knowledge-based

“ SRI builds on the biological potential of rice plant by harnessing the complementarities of soil biological processes”

SRI is a systems–approach, and it is also

Knowledge-based

Unfortunately…. The Green Revolution has only taught us input-centered extension methods Component-based research and extension has little capacity to do ‘systems’ research Weakening of the agriculture extension machinery systems (except for a few states) Weakening of community/administration’s ability to streamline systems of (natural) resource management.

The Green Revolution has only taught us input-centered extension methods

Component-based research and extension has little capacity to do ‘systems’ research

Weakening of the agriculture extension machinery systems (except for a few states)

Weakening of community/administration’s ability to streamline systems of (natural) resource management.

SRI reduces external inputs With no new ‘inputs’ to promote or sell, therefore there are no private interests Transfer of knowledge/skills can be difficult and take time There are no vested interests to benefit WHY IS GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE NEEDED? 2 ways to view the up-scaling of SRI SRI is Nobody's ‘Business’!!

SRI reduces external inputs

With no new ‘inputs’ to promote or sell, therefore there are no private interests

Transfer of knowledge/skills can be difficult and take time

There are no vested interests to benefit

SRI should spread from farmer-to-farmer This gives a slow (?) organic growth, but it might be stable May remain in a small niche of ‘alternative’ development, like ‘organic farming’, however, while mainstream agriculture remains in a different paradigm  Government’s role Spend for more training and farmer-to-farmer exchange More communication material prepared Soft-push strategies like facilitating easy access to credit/custom hiring of equipment, etc.  Greater role for civil society initiative 1

This gives a slow (?) organic growth, but it might be stable

May remain in a small niche of ‘alternative’ development, like ‘organic farming’, however, while mainstream agriculture remains in a different paradigm

 Government’s role

Spend for more training and farmer-to-farmer exchange

More communication material prepared

Soft-push strategies like facilitating easy access to credit/custom hiring of equipment, etc.

 Greater role for civil society initiative

SRI should become a dominant paradigm Positioning it to have wider influence in view of the present: Stagnation in agriculture production Crisis of farming: Debt cycle, pressures Make public investments as drivers of change & expanded scale 2

Positioning it to have wider influence in view of the present:

Stagnation in agriculture production

Crisis of farming: Debt cycle, pressures

Make public investments as drivers of change & expanded scale

Make a Paradigm Shift & Become Mainstream? Reformulate extension towards: Spreading knowledge more than things Farmer-centered approach, promote farmer innovations Put together systems solutions Reformulate research towards: Systems improvements Move from on-station research to on-farm activity with researcher alliances with farmers & civil society Reformulate government support: Shift from short-term production centered approach to farming systems improvement Ease constraints, both material and mental

Reformulate extension towards:

Spreading knowledge more than things

Farmer-centered approach, promote farmer innovations

Put together systems solutions

Reformulate research towards:

Systems improvements

Move from on-station research to on-farm activity with researcher alliances with farmers & civil society

Reformulate government support:

Shift from short-term production centered approach to farming systems improvement

Ease constraints, both material and mental

Constraints SRI requires increased management intensity (due to need for timely operations) Perception of increased human labour Need system for easy availability of implements Water supply (irrigation/drainage) is not in the control of farmers Added elements of risk / uncertainty affect farmers’ decision-making

SRI requires increased management intensity (due to need for timely operations)

Perception of increased human labour

Need system for easy availability of implements

Water supply (irrigation/drainage) is not in the control of farmers

Added elements of risk / uncertainty affect farmers’ decision-making

Areas of Action Systems corrections – biomass/ manure, water, pest-management, operations, learning, etc. Local, community-centered, External supply of inputs vs. systems improvement (soil fertility, pest management, etc.) Easing constraints Give incentives for adoption Underwrite mechanisms to protect against risks in adoption

Systems corrections – biomass/ manure, water, pest-management, operations, learning, etc.

Local, community-centered,

External supply of inputs vs. systems improvement (soil fertility, pest management, etc.)

Easing constraints

Give incentives for adoption

Underwrite mechanisms to protect against risks in adoption

Areas of Action Easing constraints: Management support to farmers, e.g., SRI-knowledge workers / group-based solutions Facilitate custom hiring of implements Central nurseries, e.g., mat nurseries Invest in infrastructure -- drainage, land leveling, establishing biomass, etc. Promote SRI labour groups to work on contractual basis with a priori agreements Stronger experiential evidence still needs to emerge

Easing constraints:

Management support to farmers, e.g., SRI-knowledge workers / group-based solutions

Facilitate custom hiring of implements

Central nurseries, e.g., mat nurseries

Invest in infrastructure -- drainage, land leveling, establishing biomass, etc.

Promote SRI labour groups to work on contractual basis with a priori agreements

Stronger experiential evidence still needs to emerge

Areas of Action.. Incentivise adoption: Price Incentives – segregation of produce may be an issue Labour wage incentives Topping-up wages Subsidise critical operations (like transplanting / weeding) Extend subsidies Input subsidies & additional subsidies as in A.P. (traditional) Subsidies for promotion vs subsidies for constraints / continuance Direct cash subsidy (easy to conceive, but issues in administering) Provision of water/ electricity

Incentivise adoption:

Price Incentives – segregation of produce may be an issue

Labour wage incentives

Topping-up wages

Subsidise critical operations (like transplanting / weeding)

Extend subsidies

Input subsidies & additional subsidies as in A.P. (traditional)

Subsidies for promotion vs subsidies for constraints / continuance

Direct cash subsidy (easy to conceive, but issues in administering)

Provision of water/ electricity

Situation-Specific Strategies Typologies of rice systems across the country to be worked out Mapping of typology-specific constraints and opportunities Evolving typology-specific policy options and ‘drivers’ for up-scaling SRI use Identifying and supporting typology-specific investment options

Typologies of rice systems across the country to be worked out

Mapping of typology-specific constraints and opportunities

Evolving typology-specific policy options and ‘drivers’ for up-scaling SRI use

Identifying and supporting typology-specific investment options

The Missing Actor So far, SRI has been mostly in the realm of: Farmers NGOs, and Researchers Time for Administrators to join the other actors, to complete the chain of action, e.g., in Tripura

So far, SRI has been mostly in the realm of:

Farmers

NGOs, and

Researchers

Time for Administrators to join the other actors,

to complete the chain of action, e.g., in Tripura

SRI needs a Critical Minimum Scale for concrete solutions to emerge and for take-off State support is needed up till that point at least