This document summarizes research on using System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methods in Iraq to increase water savings and rice yields. The research found that using SRI with 3-day or 7-day intervals between irrigation used 50% and 72% less water than continuous submergence, and increased yields by 20% and 11% respectively. SRI with 3-day intervals also had the highest water productivity and net economic return, making it a promising strategy for Iraq's water-deficit conditions. The document recommends wider adoption of SRI through incentives, mechanization support, and collaboration with water user associations.

1. Estimated Water Savings, Yield,
and Income Benefits from Using
SRI Methods in Iraq
Khidhir Abbas Hameed
Ministry of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Office, Department of Al-Najaf Research,
Al-Mishkhab Rice Research Station
IRAQ
International Conference on System of Crop Intensification (ICSCI 2022) for
Climate-smart Livelihood and Nutritional Security /12-14 December 2022 / India

2. Irrigation Water Issues In IRAQ
 Low water productivity
 Decline in water quality
 Shortage of water supply
 Traditional methods of irrigation
 Low water use efficiency
 Regulation

3. Iraq’s Rice Challenge
 Conventional method of irrigated rice production involves
continuous submergence.
 Cropping rice in alternation with wheat frequently exhausts
the soil.
 Seed is directly spread onto ploughed soil, and using large
amounts of seed.
Therefore a new strategy is needed to maintain high rice
productivity with less water and resources- including seeds

4. Research Objectives
 Increase rice yield, reduce water consumption by
using intervals of irrigation with SRI methods, and
achieve the best economic and agronomic returns,
under Iraq’s water-deficit conditions.
 Support farmers to gain a better understanding of
SRI-related agronomic conditions and to adopt an
effective and efficient management approach to
increase net gains.

5. Amounts of irrigation water used (m³ ha ̄ ¹) with the
three different irrigation regimes
Water use as %
of CS
Irrigation water
used
Irrigation
method
---
79,090
Continuous
submergence
50%
39,485
3 day intervals
22%
22,072
7 day intervals

6. Average grain yield and water productivity with
the three irrigation methods
% of
CS
Water
productivity
(kg m ̄³)
% of
CS
Water
consumption
(m³ ha ̄¹)
% of
CS
Grain
yield
(t ha ̄¹)
Irrigation
methods
--
73.73
--
79,020
--
5.83
Continuous
submergence
+241
%
177.81
-50%
39,485
+20%
7.02
3 d intervals
+320
%
235.73
-72%
22,072
-11%
5.20
7 d intervals

7. SRI Yield Production vs Conventional Method

8. Comparison of the costs and returns when
growing rice with the three alternative
irrigation regimes when using SRI methods
Cost (dollars/ha-1)
Irrigatio
n
method
s
Charge from
continuous
submergence
Net
economic
return
Value of
production
Cost of
Production
---
1,950
3,158
1,208
Continuous
Submergence
+35%
2,637
3,803
1,166
3 day intervals
-13%
1,702
2,818
1,116
7 day intervals

9. Recommendation
This water management strategy with SRI system could help
to deal with the shortage in water.
Use transplanting machines and mechanical weeders.
The government could also give incentives like offering a 10%
higher price for rice grown SRI methods.
Join the Water Users Association and take advantage from
their experiences and expertise in the field of utilizing
irrigation water.