New SRI Items for January 2011

Afghanistan
Ali Mohammad Ramzi's excellent  seasonal report for 2010  for Aga Khan Foundation's Participatory Management of Irrigation Systems Project (PMISP) reviews progress in introducing SRI methods in northeastern Afghanistan.

Pakistan
Asif Sharif has recently uploaded a short video on YouTube called FarmAll Organic Rice Production using SRI Technology.  It details FarmAll's experiences in mechanizing the System of Rice Intensification in Pakistan. FarmAll Technology developed a system to produce organic rice using 70% less inputs including water while increasing yield from 40 to 400% (depending upon which reference is used for comparison).

 Timor Leste
Martin, Noltz,  Stefan Schwarze and Matin Qaim have recently published an article in the Pacific News (35:4-9) entitled  Knowledge-Based Agricultural Innovations in Asia: The System of Rice Intensification(SRI) in Timor Leste.

Indonesia
 The January edition of Time Out Jakarta, a magaine in Indonesia, includes an article about Emily Sutanto, an organic SRI exporter (see Inside Indo's organic rice.)

Malaysia 
A new Malay language SRI blog is now recording the efforts of several SRI projects in Malaysia: See Weblog Padi Selangor.
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Articles from the from the Indian Press (January)

• Dalit MLA is Bihar CM's 'rice' choice
  Jan. 31, 2011, India Today (Bihar, India)
• ‘Rajarajan 1000' well suited for late samba crops
  Jan. 20, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India) [SRI is called 'Rajarajaran 1000' in Tamil Nadu]
• WB-funded irrigation project emphasises on effective use of water for farming
  Jan. 13, 2011, The Times of India (Tamil Nadu, India)
• Rs. 1,731.53 crore PLC planned for Thanjavur
  Jan. 5, 2011, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

August 2010 - SRI Articles in the Press

The August SRI news in the online press comes from India, Mali and Myanmar. India news originated from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu as well as the northeastern states of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. Below are short descriptions and links to the articles. (To find SRI news on a daily basis, see our SRI website or join the SRI-India Google Group).

MYANMAR: Researchers at Taungoo University are using SRI methods to grow rice on 50 acres of their 285-acre compound. In October or November they will share their experience with local farmers.
article: University conducting research into rice yield
August 16-22, 2010, MyanmarTimes

INDIA:
Andhra Pradesh: An ambitious target of 7,380 hectares has been fixed for SRI during this kharif in the district according to government officials. Each of the 1,995 Adarsha Ryuthus (progressive farmers) were asked to promote SRI in at least 31.50 acres.
article: Promote SRI paddy: Collector
August 28, 2010, The Hindu

Assam: After the April floods, Assam Agriculture Minister Pramila Rani Brahma said that an eight-point strategy was designed to make up for the losses caused by the floods. An SRI campaign was part of the strategy.
articles:
1) To rice and shine, Assam draws 8-point strategy
August 27, 2010, Indian Express
2) Less rainfall may hit rice production
August 12, 2010. The Assam Tribune

Bihar: The Bihar regional office of the National Agriculture Bank for Rural and Agriculture Development (Nabard) has sanctioned projects worth Rs 1.37 crore to mitigate the hardship caused by drought. The project looks to propagate the SRI amongst 4,480 farmers of Bhagalpur and Banka districts.
article: Nabard scheme balm on dry spell (republished on the SRI-Orissa site)
August 23, The Telegraph

Chhattisgarh: Mr. Dhansingh became a hero of Bastar Sevak Mandal in this khariff-2010 season for promoting SRI to 70 farmers in 3 villages.
article: SRI (System of Rice Intensification): Hero of Bastar Sevak Mandal In Kharif -2010
August 16, 2010, Bastar Sevak Mandal

Manipur: The Department of Agriculture, Farm Mechanisation Division, has set a target of distributing 4000 to 5000 Kono weeders for use in System of Rice Intensification method of cultivation.
article:Agriculture Dept sets a target of 5000 to distribute weeders
August 19, 2010, E-PAO [source: Sangai Express]

Nagaland: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tuensang held a launching programme on System of Rice Intensification technology in Tuensang district on August 13. Cono weeders were also distributed to the farmers under SRI demonstration project sponsored by NABARD, RO Dimapur and promoted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra Tuensang.
article: SRI technology launched in Tuensang
August 18, 2010, Nagaland Post

Tamil Nadu:
1) While on an inaugurating an organic farming awareness raising campaign in Ariyamangalam village in Tiruverambur panchayat, District Collector T. Soundiah said that during the current kuruvai season, paddy would be raised in 30,000 acres by adopting the SRI technique.
article: Create confidence among farmers
August 12, 2010, The Hindu
2) A farmer of Manaparavai in Kodavasal block in Tiruvarur district has developed an improvised drum seeder and an SRI marker for planting to overcome the problem faced while operating it in wet lands with clay soil of the Cauvery delta.
 article: Farmer develops improvised drum seeder
August 26, 2010, The Hindu

Other articles promoting SRI in Tamil Nadu
3) TN must subsidise farm diesel: M.S.Swaminathan
August 17, 2010, Deccan Chronicle
4) SRI picks up steam in Perambalur, Ariyalur
Aug. 9, 2010, The Hindu
5) Stress on SRI to meet demand for foodgrains
Aug. 2, 2010, The Hindu

Other India articles:
1) RGMVP’s efforts for sustainable agriculture
August 4, 2010, Albertam
2) Significant Achievements Under NFSM
August 3, 2010, Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India
3) Increasing temperatures will take a toll on rice production in Asia: Rogue “Peer Review” Study
August 13, 2010, Rajan's Take: Climate Change

MALI: Systeme de Riziculture Intensif: Des experts sur le terrain
August 18, 2010, L'Essor (Mali)

SRI in the News - July 2010

News about the System of Rice Intensification in the press and on blogs this month came from Cambodia, India (Andhra Prasdesh, Kolkata, Manipur, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu), Indonesia, the Philippines, and the USA.

Grain output up in Tamil Nadu, despite less rain
July 30, 2010, Business Standard (Tamil Nadu, India)

From seed to sale
July 21, 2010, PhnomPenh Post (Cambodia)

NEPAL: Training farmers to adapt to unpredictable weather
July 19, 2010, IRIN (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)

Precision farming in Krishnagiri
July 15, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

SRI demonstrated to farmers at Pongitong
July 14, 2010, Nagaland Post (Nagaland, India)

NABARD to promote SRI cultivation
July 13, Business Standard (Andhra Pradesh, India)

NABARD to promote rice system among AP farmers
July 12, 2010, Yahoo News India (Andhra Pradesh, India)

Plan to bring 13,800 hectares under SRI mode
July 9, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

Farmers' patronage for SRI method on the rise
July 7, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

New tech to help Bengal cut water consumption
July 3, 2010, Financial Express (Kolkata, India)

SRI method of paddy cultivation turns fruitful
July 2, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

Agricultural programme conducted at Saikul
July 1, 2010, North East India News [source: Hueiyen News Service] (Manipur, India)

BLOG POSTS

SRI harvest paddy preparation
July 28, 2010, MicroAid Projects blog (Aceh, Indonesia)

CRS and three of its partner organizations visited Pasali for SRI training and exposure
July 17, 2010, bluemarty blog (Philippines)

The Future of Agriculture: Feeding Nine Billion
July 7, 2010, The New Evolution blog (USA)

SRI Campaign in Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia
July 3, 2010, Yim Sok Sophors blog (Cambodia)

SRI in the News - June 2010

SRI news for June comes from South and Southeast Asia, though it includes a visit by an African delegation from six countries to learn about SRI in India (see fourth article). News items below come from Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam and seven Indian states: Jharkhand, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and, in the northeastern part of the country, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

Agriculture Department to introduce bio-fertilizer on large scale - June 29, 2010, E-PAO [source: the Sangai Express] (Manipur, India)

Sensitising farmers to developing techniques, methods under changing climatic conditions
June 29, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

Rice project helps farmers boost yields
June 28, 2010, Lao Voices (Laos)

Ceremonial harvesting of Rice cultivated by SRI at Nagaon
June 27, 2010, Assam times (Assam, India)

Kenyan team studies SRI project
June 26, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

A Philanthropy Advisor in Indonesia, Part 4: Rice Innovation in a Small Village
June 24, 2010, Asian Philanthropy Forum (Indonesia)

Plan to adopt SRI method on 36, 800 hectares
June 24, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

Orissa sets kharif target at 74.64 lakh tonne
June 23, 2010, Business Standard (Orissa, India)

Nabard aid for paddy
June 22, 2010, The Telegraph (Jharkhand, India)

Training prog on SRI in Tsg
June 22, 2010, Nagaland Post (Nagaland, India)

High risk of viral diseases once again affecting rice crops
June 19, 2010, Viet Nam News (Hanoi, Vietnam)

SRI seed farmers left in the lurch
June 19, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

Rice cultivation: Farmers encouraged to use SRI technique
June 18, 2010, Times of India (Uttar Pradesh, India)

Minister urges farmers to utilise technologies extensively
June 10, 2010, The Hindu (Tamil Nadu, India)

CAU to provide free paddy seedlings
June 5, 2010, E-PAO [source: The Sangai Express] (Manipur, India)

Attapeu: dry season rice plantation practiced on over 1,000 ha
June 2, 2010, Lao voices (Laos)