THE SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION

The System of Rice Intensification or SRI is an approach developed in Madagascar that has been reported to increase rice yield by 50%.

It was introduced in the Philippines in 2000 by Dr. Norman Uphoff of the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development (CIIFAD).

The SRI approach is simple: (1) transplanting of seedling not more than 15 days old; (2) seedlings are planted at 1 plant per hill with a spacing of 25x25 centimeters or even wider; and (3) minimum water application to keep the soil moist.

Rice seedlings when transplanted at an earlier age can recover faster while the wider plant spacing allows more room for root growth and sunlight which can generate 30 to 50 tillers in a single rice plant.

In Nueva Ecija, SRI was introduced by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and the Kalipunan ng mga Magsasaka para sa Likas-Kayang Sakahan (Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Agriculture in Nueva Ecija) or KALIKASAN-NE.

In 2004, KALIKASAN-NE’s trailblazing work on SRI was recognized when it was awarded with a 1 million peso prize by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for its sustainable agriculture model revolving around SRI during the first World Bank-sponsored Philippine Development Innovation Marketplace.

SRI’s promise is to increase rice yield to 8-11 metric tons of rice per hectare compared to the current yield rate of 3-5 metric tons per hectare.

(Contributed by ANDREA MARIZ B. ALVAREZ, Bachelor of Arts in Development Communication, Central Luzon State University).

CARBONIZED RICE HULL AS A VALUABLE FARM COMMODITY

Over the years, the disposal of rice hull has emerged as a major problem in rice production and considered a waste in rice producing provinces like Nueva Ecija.

In 2003, a collaboration between the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE), and the Kalipunan ng mga Magsasaka para sa Likas-Kayang Sakahan sa Nueva Ecija (Association of Farmers for Sustainable Agriculture in Nueva Ecija) or KALIKASAN-NE came up with a carbonized rice hull (CRH) project to convert a traditional waste into a social enterprise product.

Research showed that CRH is rich in nutrients like potassium, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, and micronutrients that are vital to growing crops, and makes the land more permeable by allowing the soil to keep its moisture for a longer period.

CRH can also be an effective water filter, a cheap soil conditioner, and prevents the growth and subsequent multiplication of organisms that are known to cause diarrhea and other respiratory ailments.

The CRH project was piloted by the Balbalungao Organic Farmers Association (BALOFA) who exported it to Japan where it was used as a soil conditioner and generated a gross income of P45,000.00 per month.

(Contributed by HONEYLET S. MACMAC, Bachelor of Arts in Development Communication, Central Luzon State University).