Field Transplanting on SRI

Lee and Ruben 2000 reported that it has become increasingly clear that minimal external-input requirements are insufficient to make new technologies attractive to poor smallholder farmers. And the priciple behind LEISA (Low External-Input and Sustainable Agriculture) that poor farmers, lacking capital and access to credit, need methods with wich they can improve yield and income without expensive inputss and without degrading the resource base on which they depend.

In such a sutuation, System of Rice Intensification (SRI) farming method was first introduced to MAdagaska and has been practiced in several other countries as an alternative sustainable low-cost system to the convention farming systems (Batuvitage, 2002:http://ciifad.cornel.edu).

SRI is based on the principle of developing healthy, large and deep root systems that can better resist drought, water logging and wind damage. It consists of six key elements to better manage inputs, utilize new ways to transplant seedlings, and to manage water and fertilizer application. Reports from thousands of SRI farmers and practitioners around the world indicate that SRI plants develop stronger stalks and more tillers, with higher yields and even better flavor qualities.
http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/245848/about.html

System of Rice Intensification was introduced to Cambodia by CEDAC who learned about SRI from the Low External Input for Sustainable Agriculture newsletter (LEISA) in December 1999 (Rabenandrasana 1999). In 2000, CEDAC also received more information on SRI from CIIFAD (Uphoff 1999 and 2000). On 20 July, 2011, ISAC School conducted the field tranplanting on SRI in Lumchung commune, Samroung district, and Takeo province. The objective of this transplating is to demonstat the priciples of SRI.