GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
About SRI
The System of Rice Intensification involves cultivating rice with as much organic manure as possible, starting with young seedlings planted singly at wider spacing in a square pattern; and with intermittent irrigation that keeps the soil moist but not inundated, and frequent inter cultivation with weeder that actively aerates the soil.
SRI is not a standardised, fixed technological method.
It is rather a set of ideas, a methodology for comprehensively managing and conserving resources by changing the way that land, seeds, water, nutrients, and human labour are used to increase productivity from a small but well-tended number of seeds.
SRI is initially labour intensive
Needs 50% more man-days for transplanting and weeding.
Mobilises labour to work for profit.
It offers an alternative to the resource poor, who put in their family labour.
Once the right skills are learnt and implemented, the labour costs will be lesser.
Benefits of SRI
Higher yields – Both grain and straw
Reduced duration (by 10 days)
Lesser chemical inputs
Less water requirement
Less chaffy grain %
Grain weight increased without change in grain size
