2011 Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 101-107
System of rice intensification (SRI) is a rice farming practice developed in Madagascar under irrigated conditions. Recently, SRI has been diffused in rainfed paddy areas of Cambodia. Confirming the reasons for the diffusion will undoubtedly provide clues for improving rainfed agriculture unaffected by green revolution technology. In 2008, the authors introduced SRI to rainfed rice farmers in the Kampong Speu province of Cambodia. Six volunteer farmers unfamiliar with SRI techniques conducted an on-farm trial to compare conventional practices with SRI. The farmers adopted only several SRI principles, and a significant yield difference between SRI and conventional practices was absent. Even though yield did not increase dramatically, all cooperating farmers agreed to continue SRI at least in small-scale trial plots since SRI showed indications of being more efficient such as savings on the cost of seeds. In 2009, the farmers practiced SRI more rigorously following intensive training. The principle of "reducing number of seedlings per hill" was found to be the motivating factor that led to introducing SRI other principles. For example, the farmers were compelled to use younger seedlings. Conventionally, farmers grew a huge number of seedlings in a large nursery area, making it more difficult to grow young seedlings with care. SRI, and its advantage of fewer seedlings requirements, changed this practice and the farmers started using younger seedlings. As a result, yield difference between SRI and conventional practices in 2009 was larger than that in 2008. It was also observed that the farmers instituted several SRI principles in comparison plots for conventional practice, not only in SRI plots. The farmers introduced their own ideas in search of the best combination of SRI principles. Another remarkable result was that the farmers also took the initiative to introduce some SRI principles into their own non-comparison plots.
