THE SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION

(SRI) INITIATIVE IN ZAMBIA, SOUTHERN

AFRICAInnovation Africa Symposium (IAS)

November 20-23, 2006Henry Ngimbu

Esek Farmers’ Cooperative Society andThe River Between Trust

North-western Province, ZAMBIA

Theme:How the Esek Farmers' Cooperative Society in Solwezi/Zambia was mobilized to do a first trial of SRI, without external funding

Focusing on: How this is evidence of local initiative of farmers

and development agent; How this has strengthened farmers' position; and How this has also strengthened recognition in the

country of a new agricultural innovation (SRI).

INTRODUCTION OF SRI INTO ZAMBIA

SRI ACTIVITIES Solwezi District,

North-western ProvinceZAMBIA

DR CONCO

MOTIVATING FACTORS FOR PROMOTING SRI IN ZAMBIA

Hunger Crisis in Zambia

PRESENTLY, FOOD INSECURITY IS COMMON IN ZAMBIA. THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME AND OTHER AGENCIES FROM TIME TO TIME ARE IMPORTING RICE AND OTHER CEREAL GRAINS FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES TO HELP

FEED THE HUNGRY POPULATION. WHILE FOOD AID IS BENEFICIAL, FOR HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO BE

DISTRIBUTED? WE NEED MORE LASTING SOLUTIONS LIKE SRI WHICH CAN ENABLE COMMUNITIES TO LEARN HOW TO

PRODUCE FOOD FOR THEMSELVES

What was Involved in Pre-planning, Implementing and Administering

SRI? Preparatory work in the form of baseline survey of prospective Group members and organising teaching materials (pictures and handouts, plus rice seeds, hoe, rake, axe, rope, etc.).

One-day preliminary meeting with selected Group members, where SRI was introduced and explained more about its advantages and challenges; also decisions on the way forward to surmount poor farming methods and food insecurity that are maintaining hunger in the area.

Subsequently, Group members were taken into an intense learning experience by engaging them in their own-tailored training environment which involved weekly three-hour training sessions spread over 4 weeks.

CONVINCING POINTS FOR ADOPTING SRI

NO NEED to change varieties -- HYVs and hybrids can give the highest yields with SRI methods, but local varieties can produce 6-12 t/ha with SRI methods

NO NEED for use of chemical fertilizers -- while these can raise rice yield with SRI, the best results are achieved with compost

NO NEED to apply agrochemicals -- pesticides, fungicides, etc. are not necessary -- farmers find these are not economical

SIGNIFICANT WATER SAVINGS – usual irrigation water can be reduced by 50% -- but need good water control

MORE LABOR – needed at first, but as the SRI methods are mastered, SRI can even become labor-saving over time

MORE SKILL AND MANAGEMENT EFFORT are needed -- SRI is intended to improve farmers’ capabilities

Simple Straight-forward Growing Instructions

Transplant young seedlings (<15 days) -- though direct seeding is an alternative

Set out plants singly with wider spacing In a square pattern (25x25cm or more) and Planted shallow, gently, and quickly

No continuous flooding during the period of vegetative growth, with (a) minimum applications, or (b) alternate wetting/drying

After panicle initiation, maintain a thin layer of water (1-2 cm) on field until 10 days before harvest

ENCOURAGING FARMING RESULTS

Increased TILLERING: 30-50 tillers/plant, or more Larger ROOT SYSTEMS: 5-6x more resistance to

uprooting (28 kg for 3 plants vs. 53 kg for 1 SRI plant) Bigger PANICLES: 200-300 grains/panicle, or more Positive correlation between the panicle number and

panicle size -- contrary to the negative relationship which is commonly reported in the literature (Ying et al., 1998)

GRAIN QUALITY: fewer unfilled and broken grains, so higher milled outturn from paddy (unhusked) production

RESISTANCE to pests, diseases, storms and drought NO LODGING: also ratoon crop possible HIGHER YIELDS: ave. 6-8 t/ha, even up to 15-20 t/ha PRODUCTIVITY gains -- more important than yield

12 farmer-members (6 women, 6 men) from the Esek Farmers’ Co-operative Society, registered

in 2002 with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Zambia, participated in doing a

first SRI trial, without any external funding

AFTER THE LEARNING SESSION WHAT CAME NEXT?

ACTIVITIES INVOLVED

Land selectionLand selectionLand preparationChoice of variety to be plantedSeed preparation before nursery establishmentNursery establishment and managementTransplantationField fertilization Weed control and aeration of soilHarvest

Results Period: from date of planting to harvesting – 6 months Average number of productive tillers/hill -- 48 Average length of panicles -- 30 cm Highest number of grains/ panicle – 415 Highest number of grains/ hill – 19,920 Average roots per hill – 814 Yield harvested -- 96 kg

(6.144t/ha)

How the first SRI trial has strengthened farmers' position It was quite interesting and encouraging for local rice

farmers to observe in an SRI demonstration plot, a yield of 96 kg -- equivalent of 6.144 t/ha -- in a region where local rice yields are usually around 1 t/ha

The paradigm shift for rice-growing from the decades-old tradition of uncontrollable rainfed rice farming to a regime of controlled but minimum water application during the period of vegetative growth is a breakthrough

It is a revelation in Zambian farming circles to learn of a new production methodology technique that does not (a) depend on introducing new varieties, or (b) on the need for applying chemical fertilizers, or (c) on the need to use agrochemicals – instead utilizing biological potentials inherent in the plants and in the soil

How the first SRI trial has strengthened recognition in the agricultural innovation system in the country

The farmers’ society hosted on June 30 a National SRI Launch that coincided with the first SRI harvest. This attracted over 300 persons -- farmers, officials, agriculturalists, NGO workers, and others -- many traveling hundreds of kilometers. This showed a good response and commitment to the SRI innovation.

The Zambian Government’s evident support was demonstrated through the presence of the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, who attended and presided at the National Launch with an encouraging speech.

Several gifts were presented during the launch ceremony: a rotary hoe weeder shipped from Madagascar by Glenn Lines, Country Director for the Millennium Challenge Corporation; funds were sent by David Galloway, Vancouver, Canada (Can$ 5,000); application forms sent from the American Embassy in Lusaka for a getting grant funds to accelerate the spread of SRI in Zambia. This supports a serious commitment for the promotion of SRI in Zambia

Currently over 50 farmers have already enrolled themselves to work with SRI in the 2006/2007 growing season, and a lot more want to join and engage with SRI, having seen or heard about the results.

CHALLENGES FACED IN INTRODUCING

A NEW INNOVATION IN ZAMBIAN First, great thanks goes to ECHO Newsletter (Ft. Myers, Florida) to which I

subscribe, from which I learned about SRI, and to Professor Norman Uphoff of Cornell University, who during 3 years, 2003-2006, providing the needed resources (literature, pictures, CDs, inspiring e-mails) to capacity-build my knowledge in taking up the challenge of promoting SRI in Zambia.

It was initially difficult to convince Zambian rice farmers about adapting SRI due to high skepticism regarding new innovations following several decades of failed traditional and modern-technological attempts to improve methods for growing rice among rural resource-poor farmers (dependence on flooded grounds syndrome, costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides, promotion of unaffordable GMO techniques)

Good will from a part of the Government also played a fundamental role in gaining acceptance and momentum.

THANKYOU

For SRI information, check out SRI home page:

http://ciifad.cornell.edu/sri/

Including now a Zambia SRI page!