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Peru
Progress
and Activities (2001-2007)
• The first
SRI results in Peru were reported by Pablo Lutz, based on what
he read about the methods in a 2001 article in ECHO
Development Notes. Farmers near Pucallpa in the Amazonian region
got a yield of 8 t/ha with SRI methods where before they got only
2 t/ha, with a lot of time devoted to bird-scaring. With SRI, this
was not necessary because the heavier panicles hung down so that
birds could not feed on them. In addition, they got a ratoon (regrowth)
harvest of 5.5 t/ha.
• Dr.
Angel Fernandez Garcia at the National Institute of Engineering
became interested in SRI since attending the Sanya conference
in 2002. The first two seasons, his trials were not successful
due to drought or cold, which also negated other rice production.
In 2003, he obtained field-scale yields of 9-11 t/ha, and trial
plot results as high as 23 t/ha with IR-42. Rice production in
Peru averages 6 t/ha, which is not profitable given
the cost or production and prevailing market price for rice.
The profitability of rice production with SRI methods, on the
other hand, is very attractive, and Dr. Fernandez continued to
be optimistic about their spread. (See
Spanish language report.)
• During
2007, Dr. Fernandez reported on results of carefully planned
trials over the last four seasons of six months each. The evaluations
started with 19 farmers on 100 hectares, but the number grew
to 169 farmers on 400 hectares by the third season, and then
to 500 hectares in the fourth, indicating farmer satisfaction
with the methods. Whereas yields over the past 10 years with
standard methods in that area have been 5-7 tons/ha, with SRI
methods the yields have been at least 8 tons/ha and more usually
9-10 tons/ha, with some yields of 10-11 and 11-12 tons/ha achieved
by farmers who adapted appropriately all the SRI practices --
sowing density, water applications, fertilization, and timing
of irrigation.
Costs
of production were reduced from $1000/ha to $800/ha, adding to
the profitability of SRI methods. A mechanical weeder is being
used that makes the use of herbicides unnecessary, and fertilizer
applications are reduced by 50-60%, with higher yield. Dr. Fenandez
reports that the profitability of SRI has become very convincing
to farmers, and he hopes
to expand this transformation of rice production in Peru.
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