SRI helps enhance rice productivity
April 11th, 2011, Financial Express (India)
SRI rice is preferred by the farmers for seed. Therefore, SRI seed may be promoted. Policy interventions should build on resource conserving property could be a source of sustainability. Increase irrigation facility in the rainfed areas through introducing water harvesting system. As SRI is suitable in rabi season, given the availability of controlled irrigation, the problem of rabi fallow may be addressed. This is an incentive for converting fallow areas to productive purposes. >>Read more

NABARD conducts State level workshop on paddy cultivation
April 8th, 2011, The Pioneer (Jharkhand)
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on Tuesday organised a workshop to share the findings and experiences gained in implementation of the pilot demonstration of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) practices for Kharif crops . >>Read more

Surinder Sud - A new lease of rice
April 5th, 2011, Business Standard (India)
In Kerala, where paddy cultivation is going out of favour because of labour problems and high costs, the novel System of Rice Intensification’ (SRI) has shown the potential to rehabilitate this crop. This innovative technique ensures substantially higher productivity and lower input use. The SRI system has, in fact, proved its utility in many other regions as well, spanning Sikkim in the north-east to Tamil Nadu in the south. >>Read more

Myanmar - A Paddy rice success story - the testimony of Mr. U. Win Thein
April 1st , 2011, LWF Service Wordpress, (Myanmar)
Mr. U. Win Thein at the 0.5 acre demonstration plot he donated to the project with access by all the village farmers for learning purposes. LWF provided the inputs training and coaching. The farmers gathered weekly to learn and practice. The harvest went to U Win Thein. In all 34 farmers like U Win Thein made their land available for SRI demo plots in strategic locations among the 50 LWF target villages in the Myanmar delta. >>Read more

SRI Sanman for 35 farmers
March 30th, 2011, The Hindu, (Odisha)
The SRI samman for the year -2011 was received by 35 farmers at the symposium on (SRI organised by Pragati here on Tuesday . These farmers were rewarded for increasing the production of paddy using SRI in different parts of Koraput district. The symposium was inaugurated by Ashok Kumar Pangi , president, zilla parishad. Bharat Chandra Nath, District Director of Agriculture, highlighted the importance of systematic reduction in the use of chemical fertilizer and pesticide for sustainable growth. >>Read more >>Report and >>Photos

Madagascar's Magic Rice
March 28th, 2011, Danielle Nierenberg, Nourishing The Planet (Madagascar)
Rice is Madagascar’s main staple crop, eaten at nearly every meal. Dista rice, which is cultivated in the Toamasina province near Lake Alaotra, is named after the farmer who discovered it. The rice, a pale pink color, smells like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, is very nutritious and yields are double that of other varieties. Dista rice also shatters less when milled, helping reduce post harvest losses and increasing farmers’ income . >>Read more

Adaptation to climate change critical for food security
March 28th, 2011, Financial Express (India)
For the first time in the recent years, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee devoted considerable amount of time on the importance of agriculture sector for the Indian economy in his recent Budget (2011-12) speech. He announced a number of scheme for augmenting production of foodgrain specially pulses and oilseeds. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is expected to play a key role in providing technological support in government's quest for augmenting foodgrain during decades. S Ayyappan, director general, ICAR spoke to FE's Sandip Das on challenges and opportunities in boosting production. >>Read more

Farmers go on exposure trip
March 25th, 2011, The Sanghai Express (Manipur)
Farmers of Chandel district today visited different places of Imphal at the guidance of District Agruclture Officer, Chandel under the Agricultural Technology Mission Agency (ATMA). >>Read more

Adopt SRI method of paddy cultivation, farmers told
March 24th, 2011, The Hindu (Andhra Pradesh)
Water management is the key, says ANGRU scientist ONGOLE: Acharya N.G. Ranga University Principal Scientist (rice) K. Suryanarayana on Wednesday exhorted farmers in the Krishna zone to adopt the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique in paddy. >>Read more

On-Farm SRI training programme by KGVK, Ranchi
March 17th, 2011, SRI India Google Group (Jharkhand)
Krishi Gram Vikas Kendra (KGVK) - a CSR unit of Usha martin and Usha Martin Agro Ltd conducted a two-day National level live on field SRI technology training programme on 15th and 16th March 2011. >>Read more

KDP meet favours Kerala policy to promote paddy cultivation
March 16th, 2011, The Hindu (Karnataka)
It is mandatory for schools to take students to fields of farmers from 2011-12. >>Read more

Children turn farmers
March 15th, 2011, Young World - The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
Students of Government LPS Kulasekharam gladly made way for their playground to be converted into a paddy field. And so it was that little hands put seeds to sand and their hopes to the earth in an unparalleled learning experience. >>Read more

Another green revolution
March 10th, 2011, Express Buzz (Opinion)
To ensure that we do not abuse our soil or water resources with unsustainable high input technology of chemical agriculture, we could even look at the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), where input use is minimal, both fertilisers, water and pesticide. To make a rice revolution happen, our hugely funded public sector in agriculture must wake up from its current slumber - K P Prabhakaran Nair is an agricultural scientist.. >>Read more

State-level symposium on SRI organised in Bhubaneswar
March 9th, 2011, MeriNews (Bhubaneswar)
The symposium was organised to strengthen the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) movement in the state and to further and prepare an action plan to ensure real up-scaling of SRI so that small and marginal farmers are benefited.. >>Read more

New tech could boost rice output by 5 million tonne
March 7th, 2011, Financial Express (India)
Through adoption of technique such as System of Rice Intensification (SRI), the country’s rice production could be increased by more than 5 million tonne annually which would help the country in meeting the food security requirement in coming years, a paper by national consortium of SRI experts said. >>Read more

TN agri plan could be adopted in other states: Kasturirangan
March 6th, 2011, Times of India (Tamil Nadu)
Provisions to take the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) to other regions will be made in the 12th five-year plan, said Kasturirangan, member, planning commission, during an interaction with the media at the Tamil NaduAgriculture University in Coimbatore on Saturday. He said the success of SRI in Tamil Nadu will have to be replicated in other states to achieve the target growth rate of 4% in the agriculture sector. . >>Read more

'TN agri schemes could help meet growth target'
March 5th, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
The targeted four per cent growth in the agriculture sector could be achieved if agricultural schemes such as System of Rice Intensification and Dryland Farming, initiated in Tamil Nadu, are replicated across India, the Planning Commission has said. IIndia, producing around 210-220 million tonnes of foodgrains annually, has to increase the productivity from two tonnes per hectare against the world average of four tonnes,'' the Member of the Planning Commission, Dr K. Kasturirangan, said today. >>Read more

In the Fight Against Hunger, Women Lead the Way
March 3rd, 2011, Care2 blog (USA, article about: Vietnam)
This is a guest post from Anna Kramer, a writer for Oxfam America. "I wanted to help other women escape poverty," says Hoang Thi Liem, 53, a rice farmer who lives near Hanoi, Vietnam. "After I attended the training, I saw the benefits of the technique, so I just wanted to share my new knowledge with other women." . >>Read more

Using traditional strategies to address water problems
March 3rd, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
Global warming has likely already caused changes in the world’s climate by delaying monsoon seasons, causing less summer precipitation and creating longer breaks between rainy periods. In South Asia, these changes have increased already existing food and water insecurity issues. Although India is home to 17 percent of the world’s population it only has access to 4 percent of the world’s water resources. One group of women in southern India is turning to traditional farming practices for immediate and sustainable answers to address these water problems. >>Read more

TNAU proposal for free cellphones to benefit farmers
March 2nd, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
SMS now being sent to 25,000 farmers on wholesale, retail price of agri produce . >>Read more

Adopt modern cultivation technologies to get maximum profit, farmers told
February 24th, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
Overwhelming response from farmers for Rajarajan 1000 . >>Read more

Project for farmers on marketing techniques
February 19th, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
Ms. Uma Maheswari released a booklet on technical guidelines on Rajarajan 1000 method of paddy cultivation and Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative in Tamil compiled by the KVK scientists.. >>Read more

Agriculture sector key to Bihar's progress
February 17th, 2011, India Today (Bihar)
The state government has now decided to promote organic farming in at least one village of each district in the state. It has also adopted the SRI ( System of Rice Intensification) method in several districts to give a fillip to paddy cultivation in the state. This system helps raise the quantity of the produce up to five times. >>Read more

MADAGASCAR: Rice is 'becoming a luxury'
February 15th, 2011, IRIN News (Magadgascar)
A rice development expert in Madagascar, who declined to be named, told IRIN the country's economic insecurity and lack of resources made it difficult to promote new cultivation methods, such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), to farmers. >>Read more

Reduction in paddy coverage area in Tirupur causing concern
February 14th, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
The extent of fields where the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique was adopted to increase the yield of paddy also came down marginally this fiscal. >>Read more

The race for rice
February 9th, 2011, BBC News (Vietnam)
In the south-western corner of Vietnam lies the Mekong Delta, a fertile region crisscrossed by rivers rich in shrimp, prawns and lobster and dotted with lush orchards and swampy paddy fields. >>Read more

Rajarajan 1000 method great success in TN: Madurai Collector
February 6th, 2011, News One India (Tamilnadu)
Rajarajan 1000, a method ofcultivation that was earlier known as System of Rice Intensification, has proved to be a great success in TamilNadu with its use almost doubling the average yield, said Madurai District Collector.. >>Read more

Rajarajan 1000 technique doubles paddy yield
February 6th, 2011, The Hindu (Tamilnadu)
Cultivation of paddy using Rajarajan 1000 (RR 1000) technique has doubled the yield in Madurai district. As against the average yield of four to five tonnes a hectare in conventional method of cultivation, the average yield under RR 1000 technique is around seven to nine tonnes a hectare. >>Read more

Farmers seek sops for SRI cultivation
February 2nd, 2011, Express News (Odisha)
Against the backdrop of rising number of suicides, the time has come for the Government to incentivise farmers. The Government should ponder over some pension scheme for the farmers, especially for those who adopt the system of rice intensification (SRI) farming. This has been the major demand of the farmer organisations in Orissa. >>Read more

Dalit MLA is Bihar CM's ' rice' choice
January 31st, 2011, India Today (India)
JYOTI Manjhi's simple looks belie the willpower that helped her transform her hitherto barren village in Bihar's Gaya district into a veritable rice bowl. But don't judge Manjhi by her simplicity”. >>Read more

Srikanth's experiment with SRI
January 30th, 2011, Malathi's Blogspot (Karnataka)
I do address Srikanth as 'Sri' but this SRI is different. It stands for System of Rice Intensification (SRI). Here is the experiment where we have adopted the SRI method in paddy cultivation. These experiments were conducted at Kunigal, Tumkur under IDF-Sujeevan programme. >>Read more

Eastern India still to explore its food production capacities: Nitish Kumar
January 29th, 2011, India Mart (Bihar)
Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister, Bihar, has issued a statement showing anxiety on the effect climate change as well as global warming could produce on the challenge of ensuring food security. >>Read more

Nitish Kumar blames climate change for droughts in Bihar
January 28th, 2011, Bihar Times (Bihar)
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday attributed repeated droughts in the state to global warming and subsequent climate change”. >>Read more

Nitish Kumar launches new farming technique
January 27th, 2011, Times of India (Bihar)
On the occasion, Kumar lamented the absence of any cohesive policy by the Central government to counter the effects of climate change and the global warming that, he said, was affecting not just India but the entire world. "It seems the Central government is not bothered by these climate changes. While other developed countries have started to plan for such contingencies, India remains woefully aloof to the impending challenges," the Chief Minister said. Kumar recognized a number of farmers, including Janata Dal - U legislator from Barachatti Jyoti Devi, who was able to increase her output by adopting SRI technique of farming. Agriculture Production Commissioner A. K. Sinha said that Bihar could raise the annual rice output from 50 lakh ton to 65 lakh ton by adopting SRI method”. >>Read more and >>More Photos

Rice Revolution
January 20th, 2011, OXFAM New Zealand (East Timor)
System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is very helpful for our farmers in the village because we face a lot of food shortages and the irrigation system is broken. Our family income after this year’s harvest will be over $2000. That’s a big increase on the $156 we received three years ago!” says Alvaro”. >>Read more

Academic Commoners Converge on Hyderabad
January 13th, 2011, David Bollier
One of the more fascinating projects that I have learned about is the System of Rice Intensification, or SRI, in India.  As described in a paper by Shambu Prasad, “Agriculture and the New Commons,” many Indian farmers are pioneering a new form of “agroecological innovation” by using the Internet to share their learning and innovations.  SRI emerged outside of the scientific establishment as a way to produce higher rice yields through “knowledge swaraj" – swaraj meaning “self-rule.”. >>Read more

Agriculture - Bitter Harvest
January 15th - 28th, 2011, Frontline - The Hindu (India)
A small farmer in Maharashtra, whose high-yielding rice variety is popular in five states, in denied the benefits of his research. >>Read more

‘Rajarajan 1000' well suited for late samba crops
January 20th, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
The ‘Rajarajan 1000' system of cultivation is ideally suited not only for the scheduled system of cultivation but also for the delayed cropping pattern. Farmers of Kattaiyankudikadu village near Sendurai, have been successfully raising the late ‘samba' by adopting this system. >>Read more

Kariyappa's Life: The SRI Initiative supported by SRIJAN
January 14th, 2011, Deshpande Foundation website (Karnataka)
During Kariyappa’s whole life, all he has known is farming. He use to grow paddy in the fields of Mundgod the traditional way. This method of farming never produced enough yields for him and his family. In order to pay his bills, he had to take out loans. He started working in nearby places doing small electrical work. For the first time in his life, Kariyappa was not doing what he loved to do. When SRIJAN came to Mundgod in 2008, they hoped to bring farmers like Kariyappa back to the field. They hoped that introducing a new and innovative method of farming would keep them in the fields for the rest of their lives. >>Read more

WB-funded irrigation project emphasises on effective use of water for farming
January 13th, 2011, Times of India, Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu)
Farmers in 30 villages of Acharapakkam, a panchayat union comprising 80 villages in Kancheepuram district, are being exposed to effective water management methods combined with advanced farming techniques under the Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water Bodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) project. >>Read more

Back-to-nature health enhancing eco lifestyle farm
January 12th, 2011, Etram News (Tamilnadu)
We sell the output as organic rice at a rate of Rs. 30 per kg, and it makes organic rice cultivation more rewarding economically as well environmentally,” pointed out Mr.K.Devendran, Organic farming promoter in SEVAI Marutham Sirugamani. He is championing the cause of organic farming. Devendran says “organic farming is a system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic inputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, feed additives etc) and to the maximum extent feasible rely upon crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, off-farm organic waste, mineral grade rock additives and biological system of nutrient mobilization and plant protection”. >>Read more

Inside Indo's Organic Rice
January 11th, 2011, Time Out Jakarta (Indonesia)
Emily Sutanto has been awarded one of 10 most powerful women in Indonesia 2010, in the 100 unique Indonesian exporters, and a guest speaker for Biofach Germany 2010 on Indonesia and its development of fair trade. She talks to TOJ about organic rice in Indonesia. >>Read more

Emily Sutanto, the international director of Bloom Agro, sat down with us to talk about how a group of farmers in West Java have revolutionized the way the country produces rice using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and just how effective the adage “think globally, act locally” truly is. >>Read more

Dr. Abdul Kalam's special speech on "Special Address at the Conference Cum Workshop on “Water Partnerships towards meeting the Climate Challenge” by Centre of Excellence for Change
January 6th, 2011, Abdul Kalam's website (Tamil Nadu)
I came to understand that they have implemented SRI (System of Rice Intensification) in 61000 hectares which is yielding more than double the normal productivity of Rice. >>Read more

Paddy farmers saved by water-tolerant variety
January 10th, 2011, The Hindu (Andhra Pradesh)
They reap a good harvest by going in for ‘non-lodging' varieties of paddy. >>Read more

Farmers-scientist interaction programme at Pramila
January 9th, 2011, Assam Times (Assam)
A Day-long interaction programme of farmers’-scientist was organised by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK), Nagaon at Pramila on January 7, a remote village in the west of Nagaon near Kampur. >>Read more

Innovation in paddy cultivation
January 8th, 2011, Deccan Herald (Karnataka)
An areca grower from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada, Eshwar Prasad, has converted the yard in front of his house used for drying areca into a paddy field. Only, the paddy is not grown on soil, but on areca peel. However, he intends to replace the basmati he has grown with a short-grained variety. >>Read more

Mangalore: City Students Try Their Hand at Paddy Cultivation
January 6th, 2011, Daiji World (Karnataka)
A hands-on experience farm experience was provided to students by Agari Farm located on the outskirts of the city at Kuppepadav, here recently.  It was organized by various social welfare and voluntary organizations. >>Read more

NABARD workshop
January 6th, 2011 , The Hindu (Andhra Pradesh) - Special Correspondent
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on Wednesday launched a State-level workshop on system of rice intensification (SRI paddy) with the participation of officials of Agriculture department, Directorate of Rice Research and Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University. P. Mohanaiah, NABARD Chief General Manager, inaugurated the programme. >>Read more

Grains of Wisdom: Sustainable SRI for Rice Cultivation
January 4th, 2011 , Chinese Southern Belle (China)
There is a movement a-field that is impacting how rice is grown around the world—for the better. S.R.I. (system of rice intensification) is a sustainable method of growing rice that benefits the land, the farmers (mostly women) and our health. The science and implementation behind S.R.I. is rooted in the concept of “quality over quantity” through healthier seedlings and increased productivity/yield with less labor, land and environmental degradation.. >>Read more

Rs. 1,731.53 crore PLC planned for Thanjavur
January 5th, 2011 , The Hindu (Tamil Nadu)
The PLCP stated that the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) that is now called Rajarajan 1000 method of paddy cultivation, is picking up. With the SRI techniques, yields have shown 40 to 60 per cent improvement over the conventional practicer. >>Read more

Problem of plenty for paddy growers
January 4th, 2011 , The Hindu (Andhra Pradesh)
Some in Karamchedu decide not to take up cultivation this year. >>Read more