1.
Jithya Danesh

2.
 About Wayanad
 Issues
 System of Rice Intensification
 Pros and cons
 Lessons on scaling
 MGNREGA
 Future directions

3.
 The land of rice paddies- „wayal nadu‟
 Intermingled hills and valleys with rainfed
agriculture
 35% forest cover
 One of the 150 most backward districts
 Tribal population is 17.5%
 Ranked in 25 eco-hotspots in the world
 Avg. height of 3000 feet
 Rainfall- 3000mm
 Paddy- integral part of culture of natives-
Kurichyas, Kurumas, Chetties

4.
 Deforestation since the time of migrants
 Change in cropping pattern- Cash crops
 Falling productivity of soil
 Farmer suicides due to crop failure
 Increasing health issues among women and
children
 Environmental issues
 External dependence on food items
 Low purchase power
 Threats from real estate mafia
 Rice, coffee, black pepper major crops- affected by
monsoon

5.
 During 1970‟s, paddy grown in 40000 hectares,
now less than 9000 hectares
 Shrinking wetlands
 Misuse of wetlands
 55 Traditional rice varieties vanished
 Lack of food security and labour security for
Indigenous communities
 Jobless women- lost 27 working days per acre per
season
 Low productivity and high labour costs
 Area under rice replaced by banana

6.
1980 1990
2010 2000
Banana in rice fields have
depleted the water sources
resulting in severe water scarcity,

7.
 Change in seasons-agricultural crops
 Water scarcity becoming severe
 Floods and droughts- frequent
 Deficiency in rain- by 64% in the period from
June 1 to July 11 this year

8.
Need for alternatives
One seed revolution

9.
 Developed by Father Henri de Laulanie, who studied
various rice growing practices in Madagascar
 In Wayanad, Field trials with 27 farmers- promising
results
 It can double the production of paddy per hectare by
using 5% seeds, 50% of water, 50% of manure and
80% of labour.
◦ Transplantation: 2 week old seedlings
◦ Plant in equal distance of 30cm x 30cm or 25cm x 25cm
◦ Timely Water management

10.
 SRI will serve as a better option for areas deficient
of water and where rice is a major crop. SRI is
found to be managing the soil, water and plant in a
balanced ecosystem
 This technique is gaining popularity and giving
promising results to the farmers
 There are many visible changes in adaptation which
can render more possibilities to the rice growers of
this “Wayal nadu”.

11.
8-14 days old seedlings taken with the mud.
Select strongest seedlings from seed bed. Fast
transplantation-within 30 minutes without
damaging root system

12.
One seedling in one clump, transplanting at
25cm x 25cm. Good soil landing before
transplantation

13.
SRI field among
other fields:
initial week

14.
After transplanting After 15 days
After one month

15.
Emerging tillers
Upto 60 tillers arise from a single hill…!

16.
Dry field
Water
management is
crucial in SRI.
Except in
swampy fields,
the fields are
flooded in the
morning and
drained in the
evening. Water
is allowed to
remain in the
fields for few
hours only

17.
 Do weeding
regularly
 Because field is not
always submerged
in water
 Manual weeding or
use conoweeder
 2-3 times

18.
The difference
in root
establishment

19.
SRI NON-SRI
Plant height 130.29cm 101.57cm
Yield/acre 3042kg 1874kg
No.of tillers 40-80 20-30
Plant/sqm 17 (25cm) 36 (12cm)
Transplanting 12.5 days/acre 10days/acre
Weeding 25 days/acre 12 days/acre

20.
 Increased yields (upto 8750Kg/acre) 40% to 110%
 Increased factor productivity (land, labour, water, seeds)-
sustainable
 Water requirement can be reduced by half
 More farmers can share available water
 Higher profits (5000 to 8000 INR more) 75% to 240%
 Seed cost very low
 Positive environmental side effects
 Maintenance of greater agrobiodiversity
 Mitigating climate change by reduced water storage
 With more spacing more resistance to abiotic stress

21.
 Increased labour requirement for weeding,
transplanting and water management
 More weeds in summer (Dec- May)
 Non-availability of water control measures
 Greater skills required
 Low adaptation

22.
 Results were shared amongst farmers as well
as expert groups- well appreciated
 Master farmers- as extentionists- more areas
covered
 Local Panchayat impressed- wanted to
replicate
 Lessons from elsewhere shows good results-
Tamilnadu, Andra pradesh. Countries such as
Thailand, SriLanka, Cambodia very successful

23.
 Kaniyambetta Panchayat decided to cultivate
in 10 acre
 20 farmers selected
 Rs.3000/ acre/person
 In joint hands with Agriculture Department
 Deepening democracy at the grassroots by
strengthening PRIs
 In NREGA- The order of priority of works will
be determined within the Grama Panchayat.

24.
 In the new proposed guidelines by Mihir Shah
Committee, (Feb 2012) in additional list of
permissible works under the MGNREGA, under the
agricultural related works, SRI (System of Rice
Intensification) is mentioned.
 The guidelines states that each farmer (qualifying
for support under MGNREGA) willing to try out SRI
will be eligible for 8 person-days of work per acre
for one-time transplantation, 2 person-days of
work per acre for weeding at 10 to 15 days after
transplantation and 2 person-days of work per
acre for weeding at 20 to 30 days after
transplantation.

25.
 Potential political responses- linking of short
term and long tem policy targets to ensure
incremental progress
 Societal reach- fundamental change
required- Govt. leadership role, incentives
 Scientific uncertainty- educate decision
makers and public

26.
Thank you