2012 年 3 巻 1 号 p. 207-212
Based on principles of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) practices, farmers need to manage properly the water level in the paddy fields to get higher yields. It is only in the irrigated area where farmers can control the water level. However, the practice of SRI has been disseminated to farmers also in rain-fed areas in Cambodia. Therefore, the study aimed to compare the SRI results done so far by farmers in irrigated and rain-fed areas and explain the SRI practices in both areas. Irrigated and rain-fed areas in Kampong Speu Province of Cambodia were selected as study areas. In irrigated areas, five farmers from upstream and downstream were selected. In rain-fed areas, five SRI farmers were also chosen. In-depth interview was conducted with field observation. The results showed that farmers at upstream can grow rice twice (late ripening variety-LRV and early ripening variety-ERV) per year. Farmers at downstream and in rain-fed areas can grow rice only one time (ERV) per year. There is an irrigation system at downstream area, but farmers cannot grow rice twice due to the lack of irrigation facilities, poor water distribution, and geographic condition. In rain-fed area, drought occurs in some years; so water availability is a big concern. In both areas, LRV conventionally provides the yield from 2.31 to 2.36t/ha. SRI way can improve the yield up to 3.30t/ha to 3.70t/ha. Besides same provided yields, farmers have applied almost same SRI principles such as reducing seeds for sowing (up to 50%) and chemical fertilizers (20% to 40%), raising nursery bed, and transplanting with fewer seedlings. So, the study concludes that SRI practices in rain-fed areas are similar with ones in irrigated area. Although irrigation system is a big advantage, controlling water in paddy fields in both areas is still a problem since irrigated facilities are poor.
