Farmers adopt SRI method of paddy cultivation in K’handi

The Pioneer, May 20, 2009
PNS | Bhawanipatna

With the help of financial aid from the district administration and Watershed Mission, Kalahandi, the Deputy Director of Agriculture has implemented the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of cultivation which could increase paddy production of 1½ times to the traditional method.

The main advantage of SRI method is that with the minimum expenditure farmers can grow paddy in lands which can’t be irrigated, taking the six basic principles. The details of SRI method were given in a press conference held at the Collectorate in Kalahandi on Monday where successful farmers of Kanakpur and other areas who had adopted the SRI method shared their experience with other farmers. Till now paddy procurement have been completed in 2,000 hectares of land where 80 quintals of paddy per acre have been yielded.

The SRI method includes transplanting 8-12-day-old seedling, careful transplanting at shallow depth where single seedling is to be used, adoption of wider spacing farmers have to maintain a gap of 25x25 cm while seedling, water management to maintain soil moisture by alternate watering, inter-row weeding using weeder and use of organic manures.

The Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) has also started its awareness programme for the farmers where 13 ‘raths’ have started their campaign with leaflets, video shows and street plays in 13 blocks of the districts from 18th to 30th of this month.

Only two kg of seeds is enough for one acre of seedling in SRI method. The only drawback is that farmers have to labour hard in their land as compared to the old method. If farmers can manage to do this, they will get the maximum yield.

In Kharif season, 5,000 hectares will be cultivated with SRI method and in Rabi season, seedling in 20,000 hectares is being targeted. Last year 30,000 quintals of seeds were sold in the market. This year the agriculture department has targeted to sell up to 75,000 quintals of seeds in the market through awareness drive. The method will replace the highest seed replacement in Orissa which will create a record in the State, Collector R Santhagopalan told mediapersons here.