Dynamics of Rice Intensification System in Nepal

Presented by

Rajendra UpretyTAD/Wageningen UR

Rice in Nepal (2007)Total area: 1.43 million ha

Production: 3.68 million tonsProductivity: 2.557 tons/ha

Region Area (ha) Production (tons)

Productivity (t/ha)

Mountain 62,263 120,172 1.93

Hills 367,710 933,852 2.54

Terai (plains) 1,009,552 2,626,815 2.60

Morang 81,360 242,476 2.98

Dhankuta 8,145 20,750 2.54

Rice SystemsSystem of Rice Intensification Younger seedlings (<15 days) Single seedling/hill Wider spacing (>25 cm) No continuous flooding Active soil aeration More organic matter than

chemical fertilizers

Conventional Older seedlings (>30 days) Many seedlings/hill Closer spacing (<20 cm) Continuous flooding Use more chemical

fertilizers than compost

Double transplanting method.

First transplanting: Use 25-30 day-old seedlings, many seedlings/hill with close spacing. After one month, uproot plants and re-transplant in the main

field. The second time, the farmer transplants just 1-2 seedlings/hill.

Objective

The objective of this study was to analyze social mechanisms

of SRI and non-SRI rice management systems in Nepal.

Methodology

1. Selection of 3 Village Development Committee areas

2. Household survey of rice growers on those VDCs.

3. 75 respondent selected (30+30+15 respectively from Jhorahat, Indrapur and Pakhribas VDCs of Morang and Dhankuta districts).

4. Monitoring of the randomly-selected farmers and observation of all rice farm activities from seeding to harvesting.

5. Data collection, tabulation and analysis by use of Excel and SPSS software.

Findings

Respondents age distribution

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

< 30 years 31-45 years > 46 years

Age categories

Per

cent

age

of r

espo

nden

ts

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Distribution of the respondents education level

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Illetrate Primary secondary Above secondary

level of education

Perc

enta

ge o

f res

pond

ents

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Gender distribution of the respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Jhorahat Indrapur Pakhribas

Village development committe

Perc

enta

ge o

f res

pond

ents

male

female

Ethnicity distribution of the respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Jhorahat Indrapur Pakhribas

Village development committee

Per

cent

age

of r

espo

nden

ts

Brahmin-Chhetri

Janajati

Terai indegenous

schedule cast

Rice farming system

Farmers

Land ownership status

Compost/fertilizers

Machine/ toolsInvestment

Irrigation facility

Labor availability

Technical support

Variety/seed

Land/ land type

Distance of farm

Cropping system

Land owners

Varieties use situation of the respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

One varieties 2 varieties 3 varieties > 4 varieties

Number of varieties

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Distribution of the seedling age

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

<15 days 16-30 days 31-45 days > 45 days

Age of the seedling (days)

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Distribution of number of seedling used by the respondents

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

1-2 seedling/hill

3-5 seedlings/hill

> 6 seedlings/hill

Num

ber

of s

eedl

ing/

hill

Percentage of respondents

PakhribasIndrapurJhorahat

Distribution of seed rate used by the respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

up to 5 kg 6-15 kg 16-25 kg 26-35 kg 36-45 kg 46-55 kg 56-65 kg >65 kg

Seed rate (kg/ha)

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Number of labor used by the respondent for transplanting

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

<20 labors/ha 21-30 labors/ha 31-40 labors/ha > 41 labors/ha

Number of labors

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

spo

nd

ents

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Labor, irrigation and spacing

Disatribution of weeding labor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

< 10 labors/ha 11-20 labors/ha 21-30 labors/ha 31-40 labors/ha >41 labors/ha

Number of labors

Per

cent

age

of r

espo

nden

ts

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Type of irrigation used by the respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Continuous flooding AWD Rainfed

Type of irrigation

Per

cent

age

of r

espo

nden

ts

JhorahatIndrapurPakhribas

Distribution of seed rate used by the respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

up to 5 kg 6-15 kg 16-25 kg 26-35 kg 36-45 kg 46-55 kg 56-65 kg >65 kg

Seed rate (kg/ha)

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Distance, weeding time and SRI practices adopted by farmers

Number of SRI practice used by the SRI farmers

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

3 4 5 6

Number of SRI practices

Perc

en

tag

e o

f th

e r

esp

on

den

ts

JhorahatIndrapurPakhribas

Distribution of weeding days after rice transplanting

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

within 30 days 31-45 days 46-60 days > 61 days

Weeding days after transplanting

perc

enta

ge o

f the

farm

ers

JhorahatIndrapurPakhribas

Distance of the rice field from the respondents residence

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Close within 15 minutes walking distance >20 minutes walking distance

Walking distance (in minutes)

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

Jhorahat

Indrapur

Pakhribas

Rice Farming Systems

and their Dynamics

SRI

Conventional

Conventional seedlings

Double transplanting seedlings

SRI seedlings

Seedling age distribution of rice farming systems

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

<15 days

16-30 days

31-45 days

> 45 days

Ag

e o

f se

edlin

g (

day

s)

Percentage od the respondents

SRI

conventional

Seedling age, density and water use

Distribution of number of seedling/hill used by farmrs with different rice system

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1-2 seedling/hill 3-5 seedlings/hill > 6 seedlings/hill

Number of seedling/hill

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

conventionalSRIdouble transplanting

Plant spacing used by the respondents in different system

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

< 20 cm 20-25 cm >25 cm

Plant spacing

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

conventional

SRI

Distribution of weeding time after transplanting in different rice systems

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

within 30 days 31-45 days 46-60 days > 61 days

Weeding after transplanting (days)

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

conventional

SRI

Water, compost and labor use situation

Water use situation of three rice systems

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

flooded AWD Rainfed

Water use method

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

farm

ers

conventional

SRI

Compost use situation with rice farming systems

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

conventional SRI

Rice farming system

Per

cent

age

od th

e re

spon

dent

s

yes

no

Distribution of labor use for rice transplanting in different rice systems

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

<20 labors/ha 21-30 labors/ha 31-40 labors/ha > 41 labors/ha

Numbers of labor used for transplanting

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

conventionalSRIdouble transplanting

Distribution of numbers of labor used for weeding in different rice systems

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

< 20 labors/ha 21-30 labors/ha 31-40 labors/ha >41 labors/ha

Number of labor used for weeding

Perc

enta

ge o

f the

resp

onde

nts

conventionalSRI

Yield distribution of SRI and conventional methods

Yield distribution of different rice systems

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

<2.5 t/ha 2.5-3.5 t/ha 3.5-4.5 t/ha 4.5-5.5 t/ha 5.5-6.5 t/h > 6.5 t/ha

Rice yield (t/ha)

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

the

re

sp

on

de

nts

conventional

SRI

Seedling age, fewer seedlings/hill, wider spacing, and AWD irrigation:

positive effect on rice yield.

Distribution of rice yield according to seedling age

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

<3 t/ha 3-4.5 t/ha 4.5-6 t/ha > 6 t/ha

Rice yield (t/ha)

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

the

re

sp

on

de

nts

<15 days

16-30 days31-45 days

> 45 days

Distribution of rice yield according to number of seedling/hill

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

<3 t/ha 3-4.5 t/ha 4.5-6 t/ha > 6 t/ha

Rice yield (t/ha)

Perc

enta

ge o

f the

resp

onde

nts

1-2 seedling/hill3-5 seedlings/hill> 6 seedlings/hill

Distribution of rice yield according to plant spacing

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

<3 t/ha 3-4.5 t/ha 4.5-6 t/ha > 6 t/ha

Rice yield (t/ha)

Perc

enta

ge o

f the

resp

onde

nts

< 20 cm20-25 cm>25 cm

Distribution of rice yield according to different irrigation management

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

<3 t/ha 3-4.5 t/ha 4.5-6 t/ha > 6 t/ha

Rice yield (t/ha)

Perc

enta

ge o

f the

resp

onde

nts

Continuous floodingAWDRainfed

Most of the SRI farmers were owner-cultivators

Farmers used compost only on their own land

The amount of compost used was not sufficient to produce good yield

Combination of manure and fertilizers produced good yield

Distribution of rice yield according to land ownership status

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

<3 t/ha 3-4.5 t/ha 4.5-6 t/ha > 6 t/ha

Rice yield (t/ha)

Per

cent

age

of th

e re

spon

dent

s

owner cultivator

Owner cultivator/share-croppershare-cropper

Distribution of rice yield according to nutrient management

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

<3 t/ha 3-4.5 t/ha 4.5-6 t/ha > 6 t/ha

Rice yield (t/ha)

Per

cen

tag

e o

f th

e re

spo

nd

ents

Chemical fertilizers only

Chemical and compost combine

Compost only

Conclusions

Reliable irrigation

Land ownership

Labor availability

Male/female labor

Technical support

System of Rice Intensification

Water uncertainty

Lease land

Labor scarcity

Delay transplanting

Weeder availability

Nearness of land

Distance of the land

Lack of technical support

Hire labor

Conventional system

Partial SRI

Double transplanting

SRI method was found to be more productive, but its area within individual farms remains small compared to conventional method.

Main components for higher yield of rice are younger seedlings, fewer seedlings/hill, wider spacing, and AWD irrigation.

Assured irrigation and drainage facility is necessary for using younger seedlings and AWD irrigation.

Labor requirement is more if farmers use hired labor (rather than family labor) for transplanting and weeding.

Mechanical weeding implements could reduce the need for more labor for weeding with SRI method.

Continue………..

Farmers adjust their farming system according to their context/situations.

Labor scarcity affects transplanting and weeding work of rice systems. Landless laborers give first priority to non-farm work, so labor scarcity is common where non-farm employment was greater.

Over-watering on rice fields makes it difficult to use younger seedlings, shallow transplanting, fewer seedlings per hill, and wider spacing. In such situations, farmers changed their SRI strategy.

Double transplanting and use of older seedlings are the best alternative if transplanting is delayed. Otherwise, the crop cannot complete its growth stage and is unable to produce more grain yield.

Continue………… SRI needs careful and continuous attention, which is

difficult if the rice field is far from the farmer’s residence.

For better dissemination of SRI, continued technical support is required.

Family labor and exchange labor (PERMA system) are more useful for adoption of SRI than hired labor.

Tools and machines supply/availability for marking and weeding are very useful for adopting SRI in larger areas.

In labor shortage situations, farmers used weedicides to control early weeds in SRI fields.

Farmers used more than one variety to reduce risk of crop failure and to fulfill the demands of the landlord.

Reduced Time to Maturitywith Younger Seedlings

51 Nepali SRI farmers planted the same 145-day variety Bansdhan,

in monsoon season 2005 Age of N of Days to Reduction seedling farmers harvest (in days) >14 d 9 138.5 6.510-14 d 37 130.6 14.4 8-9 d 5 123.6 21.4

With SRI doubling yield from 3.1 to 6.3 t/ha

Crop duration (from seed to seed) of different rice varieties using SRI methods compared with conventional

methods (in days), Morang District, Nepal, 2008

Varieties Conventional duration SRI duration Difference

Bansdhan/Kanchhi 145 127 (117-144) 18 (28-11)

Mansuli 155 136 (126-146) 19 (29-9)

Swarna 155 139 (126-150) 16 (29-5)

Sugandha 120 106 (98-112) 14 (22-8)

Radha 12 155 138 (125-144) 17 (30-11)

Barse 3017 135 118 17

Hardinath 1 120 107 (98-112) 13 (22-8)

Barse 2014 135 127 (116-125) 8 (19-10)