A new method of growing rice that could save hundreds of billions of
cubic metres of water and increase food security, was released in a
report by WWF today.
Focusing on India - a country which faces a major water crisis, yet has
the world's largest area under rice cultivation - the More
Rice with Less Water report found that the 'rice intensification' method
(SRI) has helped increase yields by over 30 per cent - four to five
tonnes per hectare instead of three tonnes per hectare - whilst using 40 per cent less water than conventional methods.
In addition, this method will reduce significant amounts of methane
emissions, since SRI fields do not emit methane as is the case with
conventional methods.
The method is based on eight principles which are different to
conventional rice cultivation. They include developing nutrient-rich and
un-flooded nurseries instead of flooded ones; ensuring wider spacing between the seedlings; preferring composts or farmyard manure to synthetic fertilizers; and managing water carefully to avoid saturating the plants' roots.
The method was initially developed in the 1980s in Madagascar and has been demonstrated to be effective in 28 countries.
"Although the system of rice intensification has shown its
advantages, it is not widely practised" said Dr Biksham Gujja, Senior
Policy Adviser at WWF International. "It is time to start large-scale
programmes to support a method that could make a lasting global impact with far-reaching benefits to people and nature."
However, caution was urged as SRI is not the answer to the agriculture-water crisis, as in each case the appropriateness and suitability of SRI will depend on the particular biophysical conditions of the site, as well as the objectives of individual farmers.
