The SRI paradox
More rice. Less seed, water and emissions.
How SRI works
The System of Rice Intensification is a way of cultivating rice that applies simple principles to achieve remarkable results.
The principles of SRI:
Reducing competition between plants by seeding singly and spacing widely - for example in a grid of 25 cm x 25 cm.
Establishing the new crop well by transplanting young seedlings or direct drilling the seed.
Watering not flooding for example by alternate wetting and drying.
Building soil fertility with organic manures where feasible; avoiding tillage; maintaining cover crops; and intercropping with legumes to fix nitrogen and provide other foods.
The net effect is an improved rice yield and better returns for farmers with less water and energy consumption, and lower emissions. A boon for food sovereignty, rural livelihoods, the rice value chain, and the environment.
How SRI-2030 works
Three principles underpin our strategy: national scale - with government - breakthrough approach.
We work with governments, mainly in Africa, who are seeking to increase their rice production without compromising on other priorities. As a continent Africa imports $7.5 billion of rice a year [FAOSTAT, 2023], when it could be self-sufficient. SRI is helping to close that gap without increasing water consumption, land under cultivation or emissions. Above all, it is a way for smallholders to enjoy lower input costs and higher returns, while building resilience to increasingly difficult weather.
We work strategically and selectively with local partners who share our mission of transformation at a national scale. Our partners include private sector milling businesses, local and international organisations.
We apply the breakthrough approach, asking not ‘what do we need?’ but ‘what can we do now with what we have available now?.’ The essence of breakthrough is to recognise that it is not the important things in life that get done - just the urgent ones. The mission is scale but the key is to get started now with what you have. That applies to everyone from the farmer to the head of state.
Trainer certification
SRI is a versatile method of rice cultivation built on core principles that farmers and trainers adapt into local on-the-ground practices. While this flexibility is one of SRI's greatest strengths, it also creates the risk that the methodology is misinterpreted as it spreads through training networks. To avoid this, and to formally recognise the trainers helping farmers, SRI-2030 offers SRI certification: a free programme open to any extension agent who has been trained in SRI and can demonstrate both knowledge of the method and the ability to teach it effectively.
The scheme combines a theoretical component (online assessments covering SRI principles and practices) with a practical component (training farmers in SRI and evidencing their successful implementation through Kobo Toolbox). Trainers can progress through four levels: Level 1 - Foundation; Level 2 - Field Trainer; Level 3 - Field Expert; and Level 4 - Master Trainer. Each level sets higher requirements for knowledge and verified farmer training. Certified trainers are added to SRI-2030's trainer database.
If you have run an SRI training event and would like your extension agents to be certified, please get in touch by email to Certification [at] SRI-2030.org.