Author: Lucy Fisher Title: Overview of the System of Rice Intensification SRI Around the World Presented at: The International Conference on The System of Crop Intensification (ICSCI22) Date: December 12, 2022

1. Overview of the System of
Intensification (SRI)
Around the World
Lucy Fisher
SRI International Network and Resource Center (SRI-Rice)
Dept. of Global Development, Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
International Conference on System of Crop Intensification
for Climate-Smart Livelihood and Nutritional Security
Hyderabad, India
December 12-14, 2022

2. What’s this Presentation about?
Overview of the current state of SRI in Africa,
Asia and the Americas
SRI Networks and their role in promoting
information access and knowledge-sharing
Current progress and trends in SRI research

3. SRI has
been validated
in 65+ countries
in Africa, Asia,
and the Americas

4. Countries with SRI in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)
pledges for Climate Action as of COP27
1 Caribbean
country
included SRI
in their NDCs
6 African
countries
included
SRI in their
NDCs
4 countries in
SE Asia
included SRI
in their NDCs

5. SRI Principles and Practices
1. Early and healthy plant
establishment 2. Minimize competition
between plants
3. Build fertile soils rich
in organic matter and
soil biota
4. Manage water carefully,
avoid flooding & water
stress, create aerated soil
• High number
of tillers and
panicles
• Good grain
filling
• Prolific deep
root growth
• Delayed root
senescence
Higher yields
1 plant/ hill
Wider spacing
Young seedlings
(8-12 days old)
Use manure, compost, crop
residues
AWD for irrigated rice
(mechanical weeder to
aerate soil)
Slide: E. Styger

6. SRI NETWORKS

7. NATIONAL SRI NETWORKS Founded Based at /Hosted by Formal? Online presence
Bangladesh (SRI NBB) 2006 Bangladesh Rice Foundation (originally) ? No
India (National Consortium on SRI) 2007 Peoples Science Institute (NGO)
formerly PRADAN
No Google Group (JaiSRI)
Indonesia (IndoSRInet)
(replaced Ina-SRI)]
2021
(2008-
2020)
Padjajaran University (current)
Institut Pertanian Bogor (previous)
Yes
No
Website, WhatsApp, FB
Japan (J-SRI) 2007 University of Tokyo Yes Website
Malaysia (SRI-MAS) 2011 Formal NGO [expanded to agroecology] Yes Website/FB/WhatsApp
Nepal (SRI-Nepal) 2002 & ‘15 Virtual No Facebook/twitter
Nigeria SRI Network 2022 In progress No No
Philippines (SRI-Pilipinas) 2002 NGO (virtual) ? No (previous listserv)
Sri Lanka (Merged with Agroecol.) 2008 &’15 Rajarata University [activity?] Yes No
Vietnam (SRI-Viet) 2015 Thai Nguyen University (originally) Yes Website
DORMANT or CLOSED
NATIONAL SRI NETWORKS
Cambodia – now closed 2004 Govt. (MAFF) – no longer a network Yes [Previous website]
Madagascar (GSRI) – now closed 2008-2012 [Group of NGOs and Ministry of Agriculture] No [Previous website]
Taiwan (CA-SRI) – status unclear 2016 - Business (Caremed, Inc.) Yes [Website]

8. J-SRI Network
(Japan)
SRI Pilipinas
Network
IndoSRINet
(Indonesia)
National SRI
Consortium -
India
SRI Nepal
Network
Taiwan CA-SRI
Society (?)
SRI
National
Network
Bangladesh
SRI-MAS
(Malaysia}
SRI-Viet
Network
National SRI
Networks and
Groups in Asia
National
networks are
voluntary and
not well-funded
No regional
network yet but
an Asia
WhatsApp
Group exists
SRI methods are being adapted and
adopted in nearly all East, Southeast and
South Asian countries
SRI in Asia

9. Strengthening linkages within the global SRI community as
a whole and between existing SRI networks not only
creates solidarity, but can help with scaling up,
collaborative problem-solving, and getting information
about SRI to those who need it.
Knowledge-sharing networks/groups, if adequately
supported, can help
• stakeholders locate information
• reach a wider audience, and
• create a more enabling policy environment.

10. GLOBAL SRI NETWORKS Founded Based at Formal? Online?
SRI-Rice
(partners with SRI-2030)
2010 Cornell University No Website/various
social media/
newsletter
SRI Research Network 2016 Cornell University
and IndoSRInet
No Zotero database /
website
SRI Equipment Forum 2012 Cornell University No Facebook
REGIONAL SRI NETWORKS and
INFORMATION CENTERS
Latin America:
Red SRI
2009,’12
&’17
Originated in Cuba;
moved to IICA (Costa
Rica)
No Facebook
SRI-Africa 2019 Jomo Kenyatta Univ.
of Ag. And Tech
No Website
[SRI Asia] Not yet! No WhatsApp group

11. Workshop to Enhance Cooperation and Sharing
among SRI National Networks in Asia
The Leverage Business Hotel-Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
18-19 October 2018

12. SRI Equipment Innovators Exchange
(Facebook Group with 350+ Members)
2014 Equipment Workshop
Asian Institute of Technology

13. The SRI
Research
Network

14. Why do we need a global
SRI Research Network?
• to easily locate SRI research (2,000+ items)
(journals articles, theses, etc.)
• to share new research with colleagues
• to gain access to expensive subscription articles
• to work out priorities / SRI research agenda
• to share/learn about better research methods
• to facilitate multi-country collaborations

15. http://sririce.org
Gets ~1,500 visitors per month from ~ 75-80 countries

16. SRI-Rice provides free online SRI resources and advice
SRI-Rice Website
http://sririce.org
Facebook (English)
https://www.facebook.com/SRIRice/
Facebook (Spanish)
https://www.facebook.com/SicaAmericaLatina/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/SRIRice
Video Library
https://www.youtube.com/user/sricornell/playlists
SRI Manuals and Instructional Material
http://sri.cals.cornell.edu/extmats/index.html
SRI Highlights (newsletter published every three
months)
http://www.scoop.it/t/system-of-rice-
intensification-sri
Research Database / Library
https://www.zotero.org/groups/344232/sri_-
_system_of_rice_intensification_research_network/
items
SRI Equipment Innovators Forum
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SRI.innovator
s/
Presentations (mostly ppt)
https://www.slideshare.net/SRI.CORNELL/present
ations

17. HOWEVER, there are things that are more difficult for
SRI-Rice to provide ….
 Requests for training and trainers in specific countries / regions
 Requests from around the world for information on where to acquire
appropriate equipment locally
 Requests for information on developing domestic / international
markets for rice produced with SRI methods
Regional and national networks could help
maintain this information.. But they need
support to do this

18. The Regions
Africa, Asia and the
Americas

19. Regional SRI
Network is being
developed by the Inter-
American Institute for
Cooperation in
Agriculture (IICA), a
primary promoter of SRI
experimentation in LAC
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
(14 countries have SRI experience)
CARIBBEAN
• Cuba
• Dominican
Republic
• Haiti
SOUTH AMERICA
• Argentina
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Guyana
• Peru
• Venezuela
CENTRAL AMERICA
• Costa Rica
• Nicaragua
• Panama
Regional SRI Project:
Arroz más productivo y
sustentable para Latinoamérica
• Countries:
Chile, Venezuela, Panama
and Argentina
• Implemented by:
FONTAGRO, and leadership of
INIA Chile, with partners: IDIAP of
Panama and INTA Argentina IICA,
FLAR, UNER, UNL and FUNDARROZ
from Venezuela.
• Dates: 2020-2022 (with extension
in progress)

20. SRI-LMB Project
• The SRI Lower Mekong River Basin
(SRI-LMB) Project was carried out in
Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and
Vietnam over 5 years
• Over 15,000 farmers trained
• SRI was proven to raise yields,
incomes, and labor efficiency on
primarily rainfed farms.
• Concluded in 2018
Regional Project in Southeast Asia
THAILAND
LAOS
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM

21. Countries in Asia with SRI in their
Nationally Determined Contributions
(NDC) for Climate Action
Mitigation
Vietnam
Adaptation
Cambodia
Laos
Myanmar

22. SRI Research in Asia
658 journal
articles about
SRI in India
=43% of total
152 journal
articles from
Indonesia
=15% of total
(196 journal articles
from China – up to
2018 only)
In the SRI
database, there
are 1,524
journal articles
from Africa, Asia,
Europe and the
Americas
2,193 SRI
research items
in the database!

23. WEST AFRICA
(ECOWAS)
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea Bissau
• Liberia
• Mali
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• The Gambia
• Togo
CENTRAL AFRICA
• Cameroon
• D. R. Congo
EAST AFRICA
• Burundi
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Mozambique
• Rwanda
• Zambia
D.R.
Congo
Nigeria
Iran Afghanist
Mali
Niger
Tanzania
Kenya
Zambia
Cameroon
Burkina
Mozambique
CdL
Iraq
Pakistan
Guinea Gh
Senegal
Egypt
SRI in Africa and West Asia
SOUTHERN AFRICA
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Zambia
Liberia
30 countries
in Africa
currently
have various
levels of SRI
adoption
Madagascar
SRI-Africa – a
regional SRI
information center
(Kenya)

24. 13 countries in West Africa that belong to
the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS)
Nigeria
Mali Niger
Burkina Faso
Cote
d’Ivoire
Guinea
Ghana
Senegal
PAST:
SRI-WAAPP project 2014-2016.
$1.4 million. Funded through WAAPP grant funded under CORAF by World
Bank; benefited 50,000+ farmers (750,000 indirectly)
Two Regional Projects in Africa
Benin
Sierra Leone
Liberia
Gambia
Togo
UPCOMING:
RICOWAS project 2023-2027.
$14 million. Funded by the
Adaptation Fund (AF), implemented
by The Sahara and Sahel
Observatory (OSS)

25. Nigeria
Tanzania
Kenya
SRI Research in Africa
In the SRI Research
database of 1,500+
journal articles, 136
(9%) come from Africa:
The top producers
of SRI journal
articles in Africa
are:
1. Tanzania
2. Kenya
3. Nigeria
12 journal
articles on SRI 33 journal
articles on SRI
21 journal
articles on SRI

26. North America - USA
 Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York
Several small organic growers are primarily
transplanting in raised beds; selling to local
market for very good price.
 Arkansas, USA
Farmer with 8,000 acres is planting 38 inch
twin rows with single seeds using special
plates for seed singulation. Water and
agrochemicals reduced. Cover crops drilled in
directly behind harvester.
 Louisiana/Mississippi
The NGO Jubilee Justice
is working in the South
with smallscale Black
farmers who are
experimenting with
organic SRI– both
transplanted and no till
raised beds.

27. SRI Research

28. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2
4
6
9
10
12
15 15 15
23
26
31
35
36
37
42
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
YEAR
Cumulative Number of Countries With Journal Articles
Number of countries doubled over the last 10 years
(2012-2022)
52
2022
1992
Cumulative Number of Countries
With Research Journal Articles about SRI
1992-2022
#
of
countries

29. 38 Keywords Used in the Research Database
Plant establishment
Seedling age
Plant density / spacing
No. of seedlings / hill
Planting time
Direct seeding
Nutrient management
Organic inputs
Weed management
Soil preparation
Water management
Pests and diseases
Adaptation
Climate change/GHGs
Physiology / morphology
Soil
Roots
Soil biota
Yield
Ratooning
Varieties
Systems comparisons
SRI trials (alone)
Rainfed and aerobic rice
Health / Nutrition / Grain
quality
Adoption
Economics
Marketing
Social impacts / gender
Controversy
Policy
Technological suggestion
Modeling
Organic SRI
Labor
Equipment
Adapted for other crops
Integrated farming

30. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
PEST AND DISEASES
SOIL BIOTA
REVIEW
SOCIAL IMPACT AND GENDER
ROOTS
SEEDLING AGE
WEED MANAGEMENT
ADOPTION
PLANT ESTABLISHMENT
VARIETIES
ORGANIC INPUTS
PHYSIOLOGY AND MORPHOLOGY
PLANT DENSITY AND SPACING
ECONOMICS
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
WATER MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS COMPARISONS (BMP,…
# of Journal Articles
Top SRI Topics (End of 2017)
Top SRI Topics (End of 2013)
SRI Research Topic Priorities
(2013 and 2017)

31. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Systems comparisons (BWP, farmer)
Water management
Nutrient Management
Economics
Adoption
Varieties
Plant density/spacing
Physiology/morphology
Organic inputs
Weed management
Plant establishment
Seedling age
Climate change/GHGs
Review
Soil Biota
Roots
Social Impact/ gender
# of Journal Articles
SRI Research Topic Priorities
(End of 2021)

32. What you might take away from this presentation
 Increased interest and opportunities are arising due to SRI’s ability to
address climate change and food security. Let’s make use of this
opportunity!
 We need to think about design and access of SRI-adapted equipment if we
want to scale up dramatically
 We need to find ways to promote and support quality SRI research,
especially in smaller institutions.
 We need to find a way to provide support and capacity-building for national
and regional networks so that they can provide relevant information to
multiple audiences

33. Thanks!
For more information on the SRI networks or the
contents of this presentation, please contact us:
e-mail: sririce@cornell.edu
website: http://sririce.org
Or visit us in person!
SRI-Rice
Dept. of Global Development
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York