2006 UPDATE
• Report on SRI Performance at 2300 M
A Himalayan Permaculture Group’s (HPG) Newsletter and Progress Report for June-December 2006 contains a report from work of the ATA-funded Permaculture Group in Humla region in the Far West of Nepal. A farmer-cooperator Manjit Tanata planted two plots of SRI on his farm at 2300 m elevation, it reports; but after one month he became anxious about the slow growth of the SRI plants, so he replanted one of the plots with conventional methods. He found that the SRI plot eventually performed the replanted plot and all other rice plots in the area. “He says next year he will plant more land using SRI principles and will teach other farmers how to do the same.” (p. 4) See also p. 12 for picture of the SRI rice of Shyam Shrestha, who was the Nepal representative at the first international SRI conference in Sanya, China in 2002.

• Following a review of the SRI program in Morang District during November 2006, Norman Uphoff (CIIFAD) and Rajendra Uprety (DADO Morang) made a presentation on SRI progress to the Farmer-Managed Irrigation Systems Promotion Trust's 4th international FMIS seminar in Kathmandu, followed by presentations to the Department of Agriculture, the Poverty Alleviation Trust and several other groups in Kathmandu (see report).

Two things were repeatedly reported by Morang district farmers: (a) Their SRI crops, in addition to giving often doubled yield, are maturing 2, 3, even 4 weeks sooner than when the same variety is grown with 'normal' methods; this saves water, reduces the risks of crop loss, and makes land available for other crop production; and (b) once farmers have acquired experience and skill with SRI methods, the new system of crop management is proving to be labor-saving rather than labor-intensive; saving labor as well as seeds, water and costs of production makes SRI increasingly attractive to farmers.

An extremely inexpensive weeding tool was developed by Govinda Dhakal (right) of Indrapura ward 6, Morang district. The weeder costs only about 20 cents to make, and, according to Govinda, reduces the time required for weeding by 60-65% compared to hand weeding. Additional information on this weeder is included in the report mentioned above. (Click on photos to enlarge).

• A meeting was hosted at the District Agricultural Development Office (DADO) in Biratnagar during May, 2006, to discuss possibilities and problems of SRI dissemination in larger areas of Morang and other districts of Nepal. Winrock International, which was represented at the meeting, is planning to expand its collaboration with DADO Morang in addressing several issues, including possible reduction in greenhouse gas emissions with SRI.

2005
• A year-end report and an economic analysis for 2005 have been provided by Mr. Rajendra Uprety. Data indicate that with SRI methods, farmers in Morang district produced about twice as much as much rice as with usual methods in the 2005 main season. Previously these farmers produced 3.1 metric tons of rice on average with conventional methods. The range of SRI production was 2.5 metric tons to 11.0 metric tons, with an average production of 6.3 metric tons by SRI methods. The majority of SRI farmers produced more than 6 metric tons yield, and very few got less than 4 metric tons.

• Madhav Prasad Dhakal has sent a report on the SRI evaluation done in 2004 and 2005 by the PARDYP project (People and Resource Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region) sponsored by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal.SRI evaluation started with 6 farmers in 2003 and then 24 farmers in the Jhiku Khola Watership in 2004, leading into a 15-village program in 2005 where over 100 farmers participated in SRI Farmer Field Schools.

The report notes a 40-50% increase in grain yield and 20-25% increase in biomass production, with a 75% reduction in seed requirements and 50-75% less water. They reported 50% less labor for transplanting, and 50-60% less labor for irrigation, with also less use of pesticides. The cost of weeding was 50-60% more, while costs of fertilizer and harvesting remained the same.

Getting more production with less total costs was considered a clear net benefit with SRI. Farmers also noted that with reduced frequency of irrigation, there were fewer conflicts among irrigation water users, and terrace 'failures' (collapses) caused by stagnant water, both serious problems in hill irrigation systems.

• In December, 2005, the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) hosted a national workshop in Kathmandu on SRI, where SRI experience from various institutions was reported: the National Rice Research Program, the National Wheat Research Program (which has also been evaluating SRI since 2000), the National Agricultural Research Council, the Department of Soil Conservation and Water Management, and the District Agricultural Development Officers for Morang, Dhankuta and Dang Districts, as well as the host ICIMOD. Other participants came from the Department of Agriculture and CIMMYT, with nine farmers participating from different programs. (See report and paper.)

• In early August 2005, Mr. Rajendra Uprety from the District Agricultural Development Office in Morang hosted an international correspondent for the BBC, the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, the Ministers of Agriculture and Cooperatives, and two environmental journalists from a Nepali national magazine at the Morang SRI sites (see report). One field that the DG visited had an SRI plant with 119 tillers just 45 days after transplanting (10-day-old seedling).

• In April 2005, an SRI project was among the winners of the World Bank’s Nepal Development Marketplace (NDM), a national competition for innovative ideas to support the development of rural areas. Mr. Rajendra Uprety from the District Agricultural Development Office in Morang in the terai (plains) authored the proposal to promote SRI within his and neighboring districts in the coming season. The project was ranked second among the 20 awardees and received $20,000 to carry out this proposed work. (See http://www.ndm.org.np for details and pictures). The Agriculture Information and Communication Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative/Nepal, will publish 10,000 copies of the NDM project display poster on SRI technology, which will be sent to all District Agriculture Development Offices and other related agriculture offices through AICC/MOAC.

1999-2004
• Initial trials of SRI methods in 1999-2001 were not successful, apparently because of the lack of water control possible at Bhairahawa during the monsoon season. It appeared that possibly SRI would not be applicable in Nepal for certain reasons, possibly due to soil or climate. See data reported from Sipaghat and Rupandehi; also more positive findings at Bhairawa.

• In April 2002, two SRI presentations were made at the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) headquarters in Kathmandu, sponsored by CIMMYT and Winrock International. From this, a national SRI network was set up. The NGO Appropriate Technology Asia (ATA) prepared Nepali language training materials (note: very large file). The Morang District Agricultural Office has also produced Nepali extension material. A national workshop was held in 2003.

• Farmer Field Schools in the Sunsari-Morang irrigation project supported by DFID in the terai (southern plains) of Nepal undertook replicated trials to evaluate SRI compared with recommended modern methods, including fertilizer use, and with farmer practice in 2002. They undertook more thorough evaluations again in 2003 (see report and FFS yield data. In both years, the SRI averages were over 8 t/ha, while the improved methods were about 6 t/ha and farmer practice around 4 t/ha. These trials, with thorough analysis of components of yield as well as different spacings, water application practices, and varieties, established that SRI can be productive and cost-effective under at least some Nepali conditions. After DFID funding terminated, the project staff formed their own NGO, Multipurpose Development Management Services (MDMS), to continue promotion of SRI and agricultural development in the area..

• More and more positive results have been reported since 2002, such as in Taruwa, Bardiya district and elsewhere. The most recent report is from the District Agricultural Development Officer in Biratnagar, Morang District.

Workshops and Meetings

• Report of Meeting of Nepal SRI Network Participants
  Biratnegar, Nepal, May 2006
  
• Exchange Workshop on the System of Rice Intensification ICIMOD, Lalitpur, Nepal, December 19, 2005
• Report of Meeting of Nepal SRI Network Participants
  Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2004
  (from notes of Khem Raj Dahal, IAAS, Chitwan)

Reports, Articles and Presentations

• Uphoff, Norman. 2006 (November). Report on a visit to Nepal's Morang District, November 2-5, 2006, to review the status of SRI activities there, followed by other activities. Cornell University, (unpublished trip report). 30 p. (pdf)
• Uprety, Rajendra. 2005 (December). System of Rice Intensification (SRI) performance in Morang District during 2005 main season. Agriculture Extension Officer District Agriculture Development Office, Morang, Nepal. (unpublished pdf)
• Dixit, Kunda. 2005. Less is more: working miracles in Nepal's rice fields. SciDev.net, Sept. 15. http://www.scidev.net/content/features/eng/less-is-more-working-
  miracles-in-nepals-rice-fields.cfm
• Dixit, Kunda. 2005. The miracle is it's no miracle In The Nepali Times, 256, July 15 - 21. http://www.nepalnews.com.np/ntimes/issue256/nation.htm
• Uprety, Rajendra. 2005 (March). Progress report of SRI promotional activities in Morang district and other places in Nepal. Agriculture Extension Officer District Agriculture Development Office, Morang, Nepal. (unpublished)
• Uprety, Rajendra. 2005 (March). Performance of System of Rice Intensification in Morang District, 2004. Agriculture Extension Officer District Agriculture Development Office, Morang, Nepal. (unpublished)
• Uprety, Rajendra. 2004. System of Rice Intensification in the context of Nepalese rice production. District Agriculture Development Office, Biratnagar, Morang, Nepal. 4p. (unpublished).
• Adoption of system of rice intensification (SRI) technique in central Terai of Nepal. WISARD Project information on an SRI project of the Nepal Agriculture Research Council and the (NARC): Agriculture Research Station (Agri-Machinery) in Ranighat and the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur (Project duration: from May 2003 until December 2005)
• SRI - Nepal Presentation by Andreas Jenny, Socio-Economic Development Officer, SAGOAL. 2004.Two parts: 1. What is SRI? and 2. Results of SRI trial in 2003 at Taruwa, Bardiya District, Nepal
• Experience with the System of Rice Intensification in Nepal,
  by Chris Evans, Appropriate Technology Asia, Scott Justice, CIMMYT, and Shyam Shrestha, Sunrise Farm, a presentation at the International Conference "Assessments of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)," Sanya, China, April 1-4, 2002

Evaluations

• Madhav Prasad Dhakal. 2005 (December). Farmers’ evaluation of the System of Rice Intensification in the middle mountains of Nepal. PARDYP/ICIMOD. Khumaltar, Kathmandu, Nepal. 39 p. (unpublished?) (pdf)

• Uprety, Rajendra. 2005 (December). System of Rice Intensification (SRI) performance in Morang District during 2005 main season. Agriculture Extension Officer District Agriculture Development Office, Morang, Nepal. 10 p. (unpublished). (pdf)

• Yield Data from Treatment Evaluated by Sunsari-Morang Farmer Field Schools, Nepal. Monsoon season, 2003. (pdf)

• 2005-2006 traffic
  SRI-NEPAL is a Yahoo Group managed by the SRI Nepal Network. This group's purpose is the exchange of information between members of the Nepal SRI Network (System of Rice Intensification) and other interested persons. Members of the network are scientists and practioners who are working towards improving Rice growing systems in Nepal.
  
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