System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Initiatives in the Cordillera Rice Terraces

Summary

The video highlights the challenges faced by Filipino rice farmers, such as high costs, low prices, and insufficient infrastructure. It introduces the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), an agroecological method that increases yields through wide spacing, moist water management, and organic fertilizers. Adopted globally, SRI is being promoted in the Cordillera rice terraces to enhance food sovereignty. Despite its benefits, including higher yields, the method faces adoption challenges, especially with water management in terraced fields. The Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) advocates for food sovereignty and the need for government support to reinforce irrigation systems to ensure the success of sustainable farming practices.

Takeaways

• 😀 Low rice production is a significant challenge for Filipino rice farmers, caused by high input costs, low rice prices, and inadequate infrastructure.
• 🌾 The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an agroecological method designed to increase rice yields by transplanting widely spaced seedlings and maintaining moist water instead of flooding.
• 💧 SRI also emphasizes regular weeding to aerate the soil, using organic fertilizers, and minimizing pesticide use.
• 🌍 SRI is being adopted globally as an effective method to enhance rice production sustainably.
• 🌾 The Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) promotes SRI in the Cordillera rice terraces as a strategy to ensure food sovereignty.
• 📚 CDPC, in partnership with local organizations, conducts educational programs to teach farmers how to implement SRI, including making organic farming materials using locally available resources.
• 💰 By using organic materials instead of expensive chemical fertilizers, farmers can significantly reduce their costs.
• 🌱 Demonstrating the SRI method through on-farm trials is an effective way to convince farmers of its benefits and promote its adoption.
• 🔧 A key challenge is that no farmer has yet sustained the use of the SRI method, especially the complex water management system it requires, particularly in terraced rice fields.
• 🏞 Government support is essential to rehabilitate, reinforce, and construct irrigation systems that will support controlled irrigation for SRI.
• 🍽️ CDPC supports food sovereignty, which emphasizes local, sustainable, culturally appropriate, and democratically controlled food production systems.

Q & A

What are the main challenges faced by Filipino rice farmers?

Filipino rice farmers face several challenges, including high costs of commercial farm inputs, low prices for palay (unmilled rice), lack of post-harvest facilities, and inadequate irrigation systems.

What is the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)?

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an agroecological method designed to increase rice production. It involves transplanting young seedlings widely spaced at one per hill, maintaining moist water rather than flooding, and regular weeding to aerate the soil. It also uses organic fertilizers and avoids synthetic pesticides.

How does the SRI method help increase rice production?

SRI increases rice production by improving soil aeration, increasing tiller growth, and promoting healthier plant development through practices like wider spacing of seedlings and optimized water management.

Where is SRI being implemented, and by whom?

SRI is being adopted in several countries worldwide. In the Philippines, it is being implemented in the Cordillera region, particularly in the Cordillera rice terraces, by the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) in partnership with local people's organizations.

What role does CDPC play in promoting SRI in the Cordillera region?

The CDPC plays a key role in promoting SRI by conducting educational discussions and training sessions. They teach farmers how to make organic farming materials and reduce their reliance on expensive chemical fertilizers.

What are some of the challenges in promoting SRI to local farmers?

Promoting SRI faces challenges such as convincing farmers to adopt the new method, conducting effective on-farm demonstrations, and addressing the difficulty of implementing the required water management system, especially in terraced rice fields.

Why is water management a significant challenge for SRI adoption?

Water management is a major challenge for SRI because it requires controlled irrigation, which is difficult to implement in terraced rice paddies. These systems typically rely on traditional flood irrigation, and adapting to SRI’s moist-water management requires significant changes.

What support is needed for the successful adoption of SRI?

Successful adoption of SRI requires government support to rehabilitate, reinforce, and construct irrigation systems that support controlled irrigation management, which is critical for the effective implementation of SRI.

What does the concept of 'food sovereignty' emphasize?

The concept of food sovereignty emphasizes a human rights-based approach to addressing food crises. It advocates for food production that is locally sourced, sustainably produced, culturally appropriate, and democratically controlled.

How does SRI contribute to food sovereignty?

SRI contributes to food sovereignty by promoting sustainable agricultural practices that increase rice efficiency while reducing dependency on external inputs like chemical fertilizers. It supports local food production and self-sufficiency.