Frontline demonstration an effective way of popularization of system of rice intensification (SRI)

Frontline demonstrations (FLD) were conducted in 2011-12 and 2012-13 at eight farmer’s fields, to popularize the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). SRI technology, conoweeder and two rice varieties were used in FLDs and improved technologies were compared with local practices. Joyti and Uma variety of paddy crop in SRI Method gave higher yield of (30.7, 35.3 and 38.6, 40.7 q/ha) which was 10.1, 13.8 and 12.9, 14.1 q/ha more than farmers practices in first and second year of FLD, respectively. Cono-weeder reduced the labour required for weeding by 35 man-days/ha and labour cost by Rs 20000-25000 /ha. The seed requirement was found lesser in this system (10-12 kg vs 100 kg/ha), the young seedlings were used in order to initiate more tillering (14 days instead of 20-25 days old seedlings) and seedling number (1 in SRI vs. 3-4 seedlings in conventional system). Farmer’s participatory evaluation indicated that SRI method is an acceptable and economically viable technology. As a result in 2012-13, an area of 5 ha, near to the FLD fields was subsequently converted to SRI system. In conventional rice farming farmers use 20-25 days old seedling, ten times quantity of seeds, 3-4 seedlings per hill, standing water of 5cm and 55 labour per ha. This increases the cost of cultivation for conventional method of farming by Rs 25450. There after this technique more popular in Ernakulum, district.