SRI in Large Irrigation Projects in Andhra Pradesh, India
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 14:33 | 
admin SRI in Large Irrigation Projects in
© JalaSpandana
Capacity building of water users in an integrated approach is the need of the hour. JalaSpandana with its experience in water and crop management issues arrived at a conclusion that any intervention programme left to government agencies alone do not reap desired results due to inherent problems encompassing financial, human resources, skill, etc. Further, the extension services towards water management is the lowest priority of any development programmes taken up by governments.
JalaSpandana designed the participatory training programme that facilitate participation of farmers, representatives of water users associations, department officials and other stakeholders in designing and implementing the programme through regular analysis of the situation and evolving appropriate strategies. Progressive farmers and local youth belonging to farming community were extensively used as resource persons.
This booklet details the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of paddy cultivation carried out by JalaSpandana in Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, Priyadharshini Jurala Project and Kurnool Cuddapah Canal in Krishna Basin in Andhra Pradesh. It highlights the different approach experimented in carrying out training programme, SRI as water conservation technology, livelihoods, myths and realities of SRI, cost benefit, chemical application in SRI, etc.
JalaSpandana is thankful to Irrigation and CAD, Government of Andhra Pradesh and Water and Land and Management and Training and Research Institute, Hyderabad for their financial and other support in carrying out this programme in Andhra Pradesh. We are thankful to farmers, officials of irrigation department, and other stakeholders of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu who directly and indirectly contributed to the success of the programme. JalaSpandana acknowledge the intensive work carried out by its staff namely Mr. K. Thachinamurthy, Raghavendra, Devadass, Ramesh Reddy, Naganna, Jagan, Narayana, Ravikumar, Ramesh, Raheem, Malikarjun, Selvam, Gunashekar, Ramadas and others.
Introduction
It is imperative to focus on the better utilisation of water with the existing infrastructure like dams, weirs, lift irrigation schemes and canal networks to secure increased output from irrigated agriculture. In this context, capacity building exercise needs to be carried out with integration of all allied activities of water with the better convergence among and between multiple departments. The need of the hour is to evolve and adopt effective participatory training programme. JalaSpandana developed the concept ‘Participatory Training Programme (PTP)’ to address, the social, technical, political and economic issues in large irrigation projects in an integrated approach. This concept was further developed with the help of very appropriate inputs given by Mr. S.P. Tucker, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Command Area Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh. JalaSpandana is piloting PTP in Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), Priyadharshini Jurala Project (PJP) and Kurnool Cuddapah Canal (KCC) in Krishna Basin, with the financial assistance from Irrigation and CAD, Government of Andhra Pradesh.
The approach adopted in piloting PTP to water users’ associations in large irrigation projects differ from the conventional method of training. In other words, PTP is an Action Research Programme. It encompasses topics like structure and function of WUAs, introducing water saving technologies, crop and water productivity and enhanced livelihoods. In this text we discuss one such interventions i.e., establishing Farmers Field Schools for ‘System of Rice Intensification (SRI)’ paddy cultivation method.
What is SRI ? SRI is a different method of cultivating Rice plant. Fr. Hentri de loulanie and hisstudents developed the SRI method which is spreading very fast across the continents. SRI can be adopted in any variety of rice, climate and type of soil with little irrigation facilities. This needs some of the time immemorial methods to be changed to induce the plant to express itself fully in producing more grains. There are seven such changes: 1) Transplanting young seedlings (8 to 12 days); 2) Wide spacing (at least 25 X 25 cms); 3) Planting only one seedling per hill and shallow planting; 4) Transplanting quickly within 30 minutes of uprooting without damage of roots; 5) Intermittent watering (up to vegetative period); 6) Keeping the soil moist during the first fifteen days after transplantation and during the formation of panicle; and 7) frequent weeding using simple tools (instead of hand weeding).
The SRI method works the other way round and has the potential to increase the yield, reduce demand for water and improve the livelihoods of the farmers. Thus, SRI method enables paddy plant to have normal growth with less water.
Aim of the Programme
To spread SRI method of Paddy cultivation by developing farmers’ fields as model plots, involving the farmers and water users associations.
Objectives
1) Enhanced livelihoods for the farmers
2) Reducing the water need for paddy cultivation in the command area.
3) Increasing the economic sustainability of paddy cultivation.
4) Increasing the sustainability of soil fertility through less stagnation of water and less or no use of Chemical inputs.
5) Promoting farmers as trainers in promoting and expanding SRI methods.
6) Increasing water availability for dry land cropping.
7) Reducing the water conflicts among the farmers and the commands.
8) Documenting the whole activities through records, pictures, audios and videos to spread out the method in the next phase.
9) Learning lessons from field experiences for further development of training methodology.
1. Discussions with the farmers showed that handling the seedlings of 8 to12 days for transplantation was simply out of farmers’ imagination. The reason being that farmers are used to the method of easily pulling of the seedlings, placing in bundles and transporting them to the distant fields with time gap.
2. Farmers carried an impression that SRI method was delicate to handle, need extra care and was laborious.
3. Farmers carried a general belief that SRI comprised lot of weeding and de-weeding was expensive and labour-intensive.
4. The unreliable water supply system in major irrigation projects don’t permit any irrigation calendar.
5. Water management practice in large irrigation projects was mostly plot-to-plot irrigation method.
6. Although, much was talked about an SRI method, there was no visible evidence shown through demonstration to make them believe the technology in terms of more tillerings in plants and more yield.
7. Big farmers believed that the SRI paddy method was possible in small areas and simply unsuitable in large areas (above 2 acres), thus best suited to small and marginal farmers.
8. On the contrary, the mindset among the small and marginal farmers was that SRI method was too risky for these categories, and was best suited for medium and big farmers as they could afford and take chance in adopting SRI.
9. It was found that the crop promotion agencies in the region were providing incentives to adopt different method of practice. This was the normal internalised attitude of the farmers to anticipate support packages like free seeds, agricultural implements and crop assurance package.
10. The non-availability of markers and weeders was a big question in the area.
11. The result of crop failure spread much faster than the success case, thus, became the talk of the region that discourage new entrants.
12. The crop failures of a couple of farmers were quoted by most of the farmers in the region. Diagnosis reveal that these farmers had not been given adequate technical training.
Based on the findings on the need assessment, the
strategies were worked out to overcome these apprehensions over SRI.
Appropriately, dialogues were framed and used during the discussion
over SRI wean the farmers from the above beliefs. This gave us an
indication, that any new experiment either on-farm or off-farm should
be watched and talked about in the region. Thus, it became necessary to
be cautious while carrying our demonstration and experimentation on the
SRI method.
1. Establishing training centers and sub centres in the command area and be available to the farmers for clarifying doubts
2. SRI Farmers Field School (FFS) to ensure success
3. Removing complex of delicacy in handling SRI seedlings and other practices
4. Implementing SRI in large area (more than 2 acres)
5. Helping small farmers to overcome the fear complex of risk
6. Promoting panchakavya and herbal decoctions (bio starters and bio growth promoters)
7. Approaching Self-Help Groups and other women agricultural labourers
8. Adopting Farmer to Farmers Technology Transfer as a top strategy
9. Promoting manufacture of markers and weeders locally
Grounding SRI in the Command Area
|
Project |
No. of WUAs JalaSpandana is operating |
Kharif (acres) |
Rabi (acres) |
|
RDS |
34 |
61.00 |
18.00* |
|
PJP |
5 |
21.00 |
141.25 |
|
KCC |
31 |
68.50 |
3.00* |
* No water in
First Impression is the Best Impression
JalaSpandana gained the faith and confidence of the farmers by generating good impression through the extension services. The staff of JalaSpandana went into farm plots during the process of nursery bed preparation, transplantation and weeding. Farmers experienced in SRI from other parts of South India were involved in the training programme. The category of land holding of farmers who adopted SRI range from 1 acre to 70 acres and the adoption of SRI especially under canal irrigation is in the range of 0.50 acres to 15 acres. The yield range from 38 bags per acre to a maximum of 62 bags, while the yield under normal paddy method was about 20 to 35 bags. There was a slight variation in the yield from project to project depending on the water quality and soil fertility.
Case 1.
Mrs. Prabhavathamma of Tanagala Village, Wadepally Mandal of Mahabubnagar District, was the first (woman) farmer to come forward to adopt SRI paddy in ten acres. Prior to transplantation of paddy, she cultivated green manure called as pachirota in Telugu. The starters and plant growth promoters like panchakavya (old and advanced version) were prepared in her house and applied during the nursery stage of the crop.
Initially, people made fun of her. Mrs. Prabhavathamma says that some farmers who were skeptical about SRI in the village called her mad for attempting SRI method in ten acres. As the days went by, the scenario changed. Crop growth in terms of tillerings (max. 92) made farmers feel surprise. The comparative analysis between normal method and the SRI started among farmers and became the talk in several surrounding villages. Farmers who had not adopted SRI started repenting. At last, Mrs. Prabhavathamma harvested a good crop with the yield of 62 bags under SRI as against 35 under normal method (per bag 75 kgs).Now, she has become the resource person for SRI in Tanagal village and has taken the decision to adopt SRI in the coming years.
Case 2
Mr. Ramboopal Reddy, a big farmer from Nidzur village, Kurnool mandal, Kurnool District got impressed with the approach of the training programme conducted by JalaSpandana. He adopted SRI in 15 acres under one pipe outlet under Kurnool Cuddapah Canal. He became the model farmer to do SRI under canal irrigation on a big scale, which removed most of the apprehensions the farmers had on the feasibility of SRI under canal irrigation. Mr. Ramboopal Reddy is continuing to practice SRI during rabi season under lift irrigation.
Case 3
Mr. Balakrishna, a farmer from G. Singavaram village, Kurnool mandal of Kurnool District, with a total land holding of one acre under Kurnool Cuddapah Canal adopted the SRI method. The seed treatment and nursery was raised under the training and supervision of different agency. Due to technical problem in raising the nursery, the seedlings turned into yellowish in colour and were not fit for transplantation. JalaSpandana intervened and helped this farmer through borrowing seedlings from the nearby big farmer who adopted SRI under the training and monitoring of JalaSpandana. Mr. Balakrishna practised as per the training given by JalaSpandana. He harvested a successful crop with a yield of 48 bags per acre. At present, Mr. Balakrishna trains other farmers in the surrounding villages on behalf of JalaSpandana.
Case 4
Mr. Kuruva Yellappa, a farmer from Chenigonapally village, Gadwal mandal of Mahabubnagar District adopted SRI in two acres under Priyadharshini Jurala Project. His total paddy area is 4 acres. This farmer was very doubtful about the SRI even after transplantation stage. He went on making phone calls and visiting our training centre several times in the first one month period. After 35 days, Mr. Kuruva Yellappa started making phone calls for different purpose and that is to inform us on his happiness about the number of tillerings in the plant. He became the centre of attraction in the village. The comparative analysis of SRI and normal paddy method in his own land showed that he got 38 bags per acre under SRI and 26 bags under the normal method. The recognition he got from SRI also elevated his position in the executive committee of water users’ association. Mr. Kuruva Yellappa who was a Territorial constituency member became president of the same water users’ association. He participated in several meetings and workshops on SRI locally and at Hyderabad level.
Comparative Analysis
An attempt here has been made to analyse the crop performance under SRI method (with different types of spacing due to short term variety) and normal paddy method. The samples were collected from one variety of plant, i.e. Telahamsa, a crop duration of 120 days in rabi season
Analysis of SRI Crop and Methodology Adopted
i. Types of experiment
As described earlier, there were three types of experiments carried out in the model farm namely 1)
Experiment A – SRI Paddy with 25 x 25 cm spacing, 2) Experiment B – SRI
paddy with 25 x 12.5 spacing, 3) Experiment C – Normal method of paddy
cultivation.
ii. Sampling method of analysis and selection of sample areas
In order to be more objective in the analysis, it adopted
the well established random sampling technique. This technique was to
identify the crop area to be selected by not actually looking at the
crop, but by throwing a piece of stone on the back. The area of one
square meter was taken for sample in the place where the stone fell. In
this manner, three samples were collected from each experiment.
iii. Paddy hills in 1 m2 area
The analysis shows that there was no difference in
the number of hills in the defined spacing paddy transplantation like
25 x 25 cm and 25 x 12.5 cm spacing. Scientifically there were 16 hills
in 1 m2 area of 25 x 25 cm spacing SRI paddy area and there were 32 hills in 1 m2
area of 25 x 12.5 cm spacing SRI paddy area, whereas, in normal
practice of paddy cultivation there were no defined paddy hills number
within a fixed area. Here, in the sample area of normal paddy, it was found that there were 53 hills in 1 m2 area.
iv. Height of the crop
The height of the crop measured from the top of
the soil level to the tip of the highest leaf of the crop. This method
of height measurement of paddy plants were carried out in five plants
in each experiment and made average calculations were made.
v. Panicle in a hill
To calculate the productivity of the crop, the
number of panicle in a hill (a crop) was very important. Thus, five
hills were selected in various locations in the field for counting the
productive panicle number in the hills to derive the average panicles
in a hill.
vi. Length of panicle
To evaluate the growth of the panicle, five
panicles were selected in different locations of the field and measured
the length from the bottom of the first branch in the panicle to tip of
the panicle.
vii.
To find out the variations in the number of
panicles in the main branches, the main branches were counted from five
different panicles and the average of main branches in a panicle was
calculated.
viii. Grains in a panicle – filled and unfilled
Five panicles were selected from each of the
experiment areas and grains from the panicles were separated and the
number of filled grains and unfilled grains were counted. Out of this
exercise the understanding that emerged was the strength of the grain
and the resistance power of the crop from the diseases and pest attacks.
ix. Grains weight for every 1000 nos.
One thousand number of good quality grains were
separated from each of the experiment areas and weighed. Out of this
exercise one can understand the quality of the grain from each
experiment.
x. Grains weight in 1 m2 area
To calculate the yield in the entire area, there
were samples collected as mentioned earlier from each of the experiment
area and the grains were separated from the straw. The unfilled grains
were removed from the good grains and weighed. Out of the three samples
in each experiment area, calculations were made to get the average
yield per one square meter area.
xi. Yield per acre
Out of the 1m2 area grain yield, the calculations were made to find out the average yield per acre area. One acre consists of 4000 m2 area. Therefore, the average of 1m2 area yield was multiplied by 4000 to arrive at average yield per acre area.
xii. Excess yield percentage
Comparative calculations on the yield level made
in three experiment area showed that there was excess yield percentage
in SRI paddy cultivation method when compared with normally practised
paddy. The comparative analysis of excess yield was calculated for both
the types of SRI paddy experiments and an average percentage level of
excess yield was analyzed.
xiii. Straw weight in 1 m2 area
Paddy straw yield is also important for the farmer
in the sense of fodder for cattle, marketing, house roofing etc. In
this connection, the paddy straw measurements were taken in 1m2 from three experiment locations and weighed.
xiv. Excess straw percentage
Comparative calculations made with three
experiment areas with related straw level found the excess straw
percentage in SRI paddy cultivation compared with normally practised
paddy. The comparative analysis of excess yield was calculated for both
the types of SRI paddy experiments and an average percentage level of
excess yield was analyzed.
Result sheet
The following are the three type of samples,
Type A - SRI method – Spacing with 25 x 25 cm
Type B - SRI method – Spacing 25 x 12.5 cm
Type C - Normal paddy
i. Hills in 1 m2.
|
S. No |
Type Name |
Hills in 1 m2 |
|
1. |
Type A |
16 |
|
2. |
Type B |
32 |
|
3. |
Type C |
53 |
ii. Height of the crop (cm)
|
Type Name |
Sample 1 |
Sample 2 |
Sample 3 |
Sample 4 |
Sample 5 |
Average |
|
Type A |
109 |
105 |
106 |
116 |
104 |
108 |
|
Type B |
116 |
113 |
112 |
110 |
107 |
111.6 |
|
Type C |
97 |
107 |
102 |
104 |
105 |
103 |
iii. Panicle in a hill
|
Type Name |
Sample 1 |
Sample 2 |
Sample 3 |
Sample 4 |
Sample 5 |
Average |
|
Type A |
25 |
17 |
26 |
25 |
31 |
24 |
|
Type B |
24 |
19 |
21 |
15 |
24 |
20.6 |
|
Type C |
17 |
10 |
8 |
12 |
15 |
12.4 |
iv. Length of Panicle (cm)
|
Type Name |
Sample 1 |
Sample 2 |
Sample 3 |
Sample 4 |
Sample 5 |
Average |
|
Type A |
23.5 |
23 |
23.5 |
24.5 |
25 |
23.9 |
|
Type B |
24.5 |
26 |
25 |
25 |
28 |
25.7 |
|
Type C |
23 |
20.5 |
21.5 |
18 |
21 |
20.8 |
|
Type Name |
Sample 1 |
Sample 2 |
Sample 3 |
Sample 4 |
Sample 5 |
Average |
|
Type A |
10 |
11 |
14 |
12 |
11 |
11.6 |
|
Type B |
13 |
14 |
11 |
15 |
11 |
12.8 |
|
Type C |
7 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
11 |
9.00 |
|
Type Name |
Sample 1 |
Sample 2 |
Sample 3 |
Sample 4 |
Sample 5 |
Average |
||||||
|
F |
U |
F |
U |
F |
U |
F |
U |
F |
U |
F |
U |
|
|
Type A |
108 |
17 |
96 |
21 |
108 |
7 |
94 |
43 |
92 |
24 |
99.6 |
22.4 |
|
Type B |
146 |
18 |
118 |
8 |
106 |
15 |
156 |
19 |
159 |
17 |
137 |
15.4 |
|
Type C |
72 |
15 |
53 |
11 |
66 |
31 |
77 |
28 |
90 |
41 |
71.6 |
25.2 |
Type Name |
Weight (gms) |
|
Type A |
35 |
|
Type B |
35 |
|
Type C |
30 |
viii. Grain weight in 1 m2 area
Type Name |
Sample 1 |
Sample 2 |
Sample 3 |
Average |
||||
|
Filled |
Unfilled |
Filled |
Unfilled |
Filled |
Unfilled |
Filled |
Unfilled |
|
|
Type A |
778 |
60 |
790 |
85 |
772 |
80 |
780 |
75 |
|
Type B |
685 |
40 |
645 |
35 |
650 |
45 |
660 |
40 |
|
Type C |
560 |
65 |
540 |
65 |
538 |
50 |
545 |
60 |
ix. Yield per acre
Sample A: SRI Paddy with 25 x 25 spacing
1 m2 yield = 780 gms
1 acre (4000 m2) = 780 gms x 4000 m2
= 3120.000 Kgs
1 acre yield in bags = 3120 / 75 kg
= 41.60 bags
Sample B: SRI Paddy with 25 x 12.5 spacing
1 m2 yield = 660 gms
1 acre (4000 m2) = 660 gms x 4000 m2
= 2640.000 Kgs
1 acre yield in bags = 2640 / 75 kg
= 35.20 bags
Sample C:
1 m2 yield = 545 gms
1 acre (4000 m2) = 545 gms x 4000 m2
= 2180.000 Kgs
1 acre yield in bags = 2180 / 75 kg
= 29.06 bags.
More yield ratio in 25 x 25 spacing SRI paddy = 43 %
More yield ratio in 25 x 12.5 spacing SRI paddy = 21%
Type Name |
Sample 1 |
Sample 2 |
Sample 3 |
Average |
|
Type A |
2.250 |
2.500 |
2.300 |
2.350 |
|
Type B |
1.900 |
1.600 |
1.660 |
1.720 |
|
Type C |
1.560 |
1.700 |
1.750 |
1.670 |
More weight percentage in 25 x 25 spacing SRI paddy field = 40.7 %
More weight percentage in 25 x 12.5 spacing SRI paddy field = 02.7 %
Cost Benefit of Crops in Large Projects
The cost of cultivation and net returns for various crops grown in command area is given in the following table (Under each crop n = 30).
|
Crops |
Total Cost |
Total Returns |
Net Returns |
|
SRI Paddy |
10,548.50 |
20,221.00 |
9,672.50 |
|
Normal Paddy |
9,661.00 |
16,489.16 |
6,827.70 |
|
Maize |
4,791.00 |
10443.50 |
5,692.50 |
|
Jowar |
2,980.00 |
13396.00 |
10,416.00 |
|
Castor |
3,551.66 |
9180.30 |
5,628.64 |
|
Tobacco |
3,242.50 |
13051.68 |
9,809.18 |
|
Kandhi |
3,136.25 |
7,921.16 |
4,784.75 |
|
Groundnut |
6,893.33 |
13,062.33 |
6,169.00 |
|
Sunflower |
4,416.00 |
11,965.23 |
8,749.43 |
|
Chenna Dal |
7,188.00 |
15,898.00 |
8,710.00 |
|
Chillies |
38,136.00 |
65,260.00 |
27,114.00 |
extent of chemical fertilizers and pesticides used per acre in
different crops grown under large irrigation projects.
Conclusion
The system of rice intensification method of paddy cultivation is beneficial both in terms of productivity and quality of food grains. It is evident from the above analysis that the SRI method results in better yield in rice and straw production. In addition, it prevents soil degradation and is environment friendly. The livelihoods of the farmers especially small and marginal farmer is improved due to less input cost and high returns. Thus, the State governments should make sincere efforts in propagating SRI, which is also one of the major water saving technology.
Need for Consistent Approach
