1.
Promoting the Adoption of SRI through
Participatory Research and Outreach in Kenya
SRI - Growing More Rice with Less Water
by:
Prof. Bancy M. Mati
SRI Projects Coordinator
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT)
Nairobi, Kenya
18th April 2012
4/19/2012 1

2.
Contents
1. The Rice Challenge in Kenya (why SRI?)
2. What is SRI?
3. How SRI was Introduced in Kenya
4. Partnerships and Collaboration
5. Participatory Research, Extension, Monitoring &
Evaluation (PREME)
6. Results of Research and Farmer Trials
7. Major Challenges Faced
8. Lessons Learnt
9. Way Forward
4/19/2012 2

3.
Rice Production in Kenya
• Huge demand for rice – urbanization &
changing dietary habits Key
Length of growing period (days)
1-74
75-89
• National rice demand-300,000 t/yr
90-119
120-149
150-179
180-209
210-239
240-269
270-299
300-329
KENYA
330-364
Country boundary
Lakes
• National rice production - 80,000 t/yr
• Deficit is imported - Ksh.7 billion /yr 0 100
N
200 Kilom eters
• Annual consumption of rice is
increasing at 12%, compared to 4%
for wheat & 1% for maize
• Rice - the most expensive grain in
Kenya (retailing at US$ 1.2 – 2.0/kg)
• Shortage of land suited to paddy rice
production
• Rice has highest water consumption

4.
Projections of the Production and Consumption
of rice in Kenya by 2030
60000000
50000000
40000000
Production (in Kg)
30000000
20000000
10000000
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Year
Estimated Annual National need = Pop.x8 (kg/person/yr)
Actual Production (kg)
Expected Annual Production (kg) to bridge the gap (9.31% increase) Source: NRDS, MOA, Kenya
4/19/2012
Expected Deficit after increasing Annual Production (kg) by 9.31%

5.
SRI: Historical background
• SRI was developed in Madagascar in the 1980s
through efforts of Fr. Henri de Laulaniè
• The System was developed slowly through farmer
experimentation, changing water application
techniques, crop spacings, and seedling age etc.
• Rice yields increased from 2 t/ha to 10, 12, even Fr. Henri De Laulanié
14 t/ha.
• Prof. Norman Uphoff helped out-scale SRI to other
countries
• SRI has been grown in
Madagascar , India, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Sri
Lanka, Sierra
Leone, Bangladesh, Gambia, Cuba, Nepal, Myanmar, Prof. Norman Uphoff
Thailand, Mali, Rwanda, …..
• Kenya was the 37th country in the world to adopt
5
SRI in 2009

6.
What is SRI?
• SRI is a package of practices especially
developed to improve the productivity
of rice grown in paddies.
• Unlike the conventional method of
continuous flooding of paddy
fields, SRI involves intermittent
wetting and drying of paddies as well
as specific soil and agronomic
management practices.
What SRI is NOT
• SRI is not about growing upland rice
varieties
• SRI is not GMOs
• SRI does not modify the genetic 6

7.
Components of SRI
SRI has seven major components (deviating from
conventional flooded paddy)
1. Transplanting very young seedlings, i.e., at 8 to 12
days old (instead of the conventional 3-4 weeks)
2. Raising the seedlings in un-flooded nurseries and
well-supplied with organic matter
3. Transplanting seedlings at wider spacings and in a
square pattern, usually 25x25 cm, giving roots and
leaves more space to grow
• Transplant seedlings quickly, carefully and shallow
– taking care to have minimum trauma to roots,
4/19/2012 7

8.
Comparing conventional paddy nursery with SRI practice
SRI requires
less seed
SRI dry nursery, and 8-day old seedling
Conventional flooded nursery
Transplanting conventional rice seedlings Transplanting SRI young seedling

9.
Components of SRI contd…
4. Transplanting only one seedling per hill (NOT of clumps of
3-4 seedlings)
5. Alternate wetting and drying of the paddy field
(do not continuously flood the soil) to ensure aerating
of the root zone,
6. Weed control is preferably done with a simple
mechanical rotary weeder. This aerates the soil as
it eliminates weeds, giving better results than
either hand weeding or herbicides,
7. Providing as much organic matter as possible to the
soil.
4/19/2012 9

10.
Comparing conventional paddy with SRI Practice
One-week old conventional flooded paddy
One-week old SRI paddy field
Women weeding conventional rice paddy Weeding SRI paddy with rotary weeder

11.
Advantages of SRI - More yield for less inputs
1) SRI gives higher rice yields – compared
to conventional flooded paddies,
2) SRI requires less water, and can save
25-50% water used in irrigation
3) SRI uses less seed & farmers save up
to 80% of the cost of seed
4) SRI rice has a harder grain, thus less
breakage during milling, giving better
grain quality and higher price.
5) Nearly all rice varieties give higher
yield with SRI, but some high-yielding
varieties respond better than others.
11

12.
Introducing SRI in Kenya
4/19/2012 12

13.
Background to SRI efforts in Kenya
• SRI was introduced in Kenya at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme in July 2009
• Initial partners: JKUAT, NIB, AICAD, WB, WBI, MoA, MWI, KARI, Cornell
University (of USA), Mwea Irrigation Scheme/MIAD, farmers
• The first crop season Aug 2009-Jan 2010, only two pioneer farmers
accepted to do trials voluntarily & on-station research trials at MIAD –
supported by AICAD
• Within that time, training & awareness creation was done using the two
farmer trials, video conferences, special ladies’ training
• Jan-May 2010: farmers were trained by invited trainers from India &
Japan supported by World Bank Institute
• Since April 2010, JKUAT Innovation Fund has been supporting a 3-year
SRI research & capacity building project in Mwea.
• From June 2011, National Irrigation Board is supporting a 6-month
project to upscale SRI in 4 schemes, i.e., Ahero, West Kano, Bunyala
& Mwea.

14.
SRI pioneers and adopters in Mwea
14 4/19/2012

15.
Objectives of the SRI initiative in Kenya
The main objective is to facilitate the wide-scale adoption of SRI for
increased rice productivity, water savings and occupational health.
The specific objectives include to:
• Promote adoption of SRI for improved rice production
• Save water used in irrigation of paddy rice.
• Scientifically assess the adaptability of SRI in Mwea and other rice-
growing areas in Kenya
• Quantify the benefits of up-scaling SRI
• Determine the health and environmental impacts of SRI, e.g., effects
on mosquito survival
• Create awareness/advocacy for SRI among key stakeholders engaged
in the rice value chain (farmers, Government staff, private sector)
• Build the capacity of important actors (farmers, extension
workers, researchers).

16.
Major partners in SRI collaboration in Kenya
Original and current partners
1. JKUAT (university)
2. IMAWESA/ICRISAT (IFAD funding) – not active currently
3. AICAD
4. MIAD – Mwea research
5. National Irrigation Board
6. Mwea Irrigation Scheme
7. Ahero Irrigation Scheme
8. Ministry of Water and Irrigation
9. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)
10. Ministry of Agriculture
11. World Bank-Kenya
12. World Bank Institute (Washington, DC)
13. Cornell University (USA)
14. Private sector
4/19/2012 16

17.
Implementing
PREME
Participatory Research,
Extension, Monitoring & Evaluation

18.
Setting up the consortium of partners
• Contacting Institutions & individuals & invitations
• Held SRI planning meetings at MIAD in Mwea
• Seeking seed funding from AICAD, JKUAT, NIB for SRI
• Joint activity implementation
4/19/2012 18

19.
Scientific Research (1 PhD, 4 MSc & MIAD trials)
1. PhD student is assessing SRI for up-scaling
in Mwea irrigation scheme.
- Using AQUACROP model to predict
scheme-level grain yields, amounts of
water saved, and cost/benefit analysis.
2. MSC assessed adaptability of SRI in Mwea
- completed
Measuring water input in a research plot
3. MSC has assessed the effects of SRI on
mosquito survival rates.
4. MSC has assessed bio-physical
characteristics of four schemes;
Mwea, Ahero, West Kano and Bunyala for
SRI adaptability
5. MSC is assessing impacts of SRI on
methane gas emissions
6. MIAD research on SRI spacings
Mosquito trap in research plot

20.
Participatory Research (SRI farmer trials)
SRI
farmer
trials
Innovations
by farmers
4/19/2012

21.
Extension (Capacity building)
• Classroom training with field visits
• Hands-on training
• Training of trainers (ToT)
• Special training for ladies
• Several field days across which are
rotated from block to block
• Field days according to crop
agronomy
• Invited trainers supported by WBI
trained staff & farmers from India
& Japan
• Capacity building - 3,000
individuals trained on SRI
21

22.
Field days & open days for SRI training
SRI field day in Mwea-5th August 2010
SRI field day in Mwea- 7th December 2010
22 22
4/19/2012
SRI Open Day- 4th November 2010 SRI field day (transplanting) -21 July 2011

23.
Knowledge Management, Monitoring & Evaluation
• Opened SRI Resource Center
at MIAD
• Recruitment of two SRI-
dedicated extension workers
• Database of farmers, their
activities, yields set up
• Designed a format for data
record by farmers
• Scientific publications
• Radio broadcasts on SRI in
vernacular stations for all
schemes
• Scientific papers & forums
4/19/2012

24.
Awareness Creation & Outreach
• Open days with invited guests
• Video conferencing
• Displays in the Nairobi
International Show
• Exchange visits for farmers &
staff
• Media outings
• Radio broadcast/adverts
• Engaging private
sector, e.g., Numerical
Machining Complex, compost-
making NGOs
• Over 10,000 individuals reached
with SRI message

25.
Extending SRI to Western Kenya
• SRI project launched in
Ahero, West Kano and Bunyala
• SRI Training of Trainers in MIAD
for all schemes
• Video conferencing for Western
Kenya farmers linking with
India, Philipines, Mali (WBI)
• Exchange visits between the
four groups of farmers
• This project is set to expand to
SW Kano (5 schemes this year)

26.
SRI results have been good

27.
Results show that SRI works!
Key findings – based on Research & SRI farmer crop of Dec. 2011
Conventional paddy SRI Rice
1. Basmati yields : 4 – 5 t/ha 1. Basmati yields : 7 – 10 t/ha
(Mwea) 2. BW rice yields: 11 - 20 t/ha
2. BW rice yields : 7 - 10 t/ha 3. Bag of paddy weighs 100-110 kg
3. A bag of paddy weighs 80-90 kg 4. Harder, not easily broken on
4. Water to grow 1 kg of rice: milling
3,000-5,000 litres 5. Uses 25-33% less water
5. Grain easily breaks during milling 6. SRI has strong stems that resist
6. Flooded paddies suffer lodging
damage from windy storms
from windy storms
7. Wedding can be by men or
7. Weeding flooded paddies is done
women
by women
8. Higher returns (30-50% increase
8. Lower return on investment
in net income)

28.
Growth pattern for the tillers under SRI and CF
90
80
70
60
Number of tillers per hill
50
40
SRI
CF
30
20
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Weeks after transplanting
4/19/2012 Jackline, PhD progress report 28

29.
Water savings comparing conventional with SRI
Savings on
Water productivity
irrigation water
(kg/m3)
(%)
VARIETY SRI CF
Basmati 370 0.7 0.4 27.5
BW 196 0.5 0.2 26.2
IR 2793-80-1 1.0 0.5 31.0
Jackline Ndiiri PhD progress report
29

30.
Results of soil characterization for
Mwea, Ahero, Bunyala and West Kano
Mean toatal organic carbon (%)
6
5
4
3 Mean toatal organic carbon (%)
2
1
0
Mwea Ahero West Kano Bunyala
Wycliffe Nyangau MSc research progress report
30

31.
Challenges faced
• Farmers’ traditional
mindset, addressing
skepticism and
thus, resistance
• The crop was not weeded
with rotary weeders
• The planting calendar affects
rice yields
• Shortage of SRI extension
workers
• A higher incidence of weeds
• Some farmers applying half-
SRI measures

32.
Lessons Learnt
• The scientific basis for adoption of SRI has been proven
• Aggressive awareness creation and hands-on training has
resulted in good adoption rates.
• SRI message is now accepted in all 4 schemes
• There are many spin-off innovations, e.g., 3 local people
have fabricated rotary weeders
• Farmer behaviour has changed – most use less water
• Collaborative efforts & cost-sharing helped push the project
success
• Need to engage the private sector - interest by Numerical
Machining Complex to support developing rotary weeders
• Policy support helps – extending SRI to Ahero, West Kano &
Bunyala with NIB support

33.
Way Forward
• Train extension workers to support SRI farmers
• Build capacity of farmers to do full SRI
• Develop rotary weeders suited to local conditions
• Raise funds to support farmers & the value chain
• Manage pests and diseases (preventive measures)
• Expand SRI to all rice-growing areas in Kenya and
hopefully, Africa.
• Collaborative research & outreach with other partners
• Achieve 100% adoption of SRI to grow more rice with
less water! 33 4/19/2012

34.
THANK YOU
“Rice is nice….it is eaten with a spoon…” A nursery rhyme
34 4/19/2012

35.
Acknowledgements
• Dr. Raphael Wanjogu
• Dr. Patrick Home
• Dr. Benson Odongo
• Mr. Laban Kiplagat
• Mr. Joel Tanui
• Ms. Jackline Ndiiri
• Mr. Kepha Omwenga
• Mr. Nyamai Matolo
• Mr. Wycliffe Nyangau
• Mr. Moses Kareithi
• Mr. Joseph Njeru
• Prof. Norman Uphoff
• Dr. Mei Xie