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Management of rice production systems to increase productivity

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2. SRI will <strong>increase</strong> <strong>rice</strong> yields because the SRI management<br />

practices are superior <strong>to</strong> conventional ones<br />

3. Rice yield can be <strong>increase</strong>d with SRI using the current<br />

3.2. Materials and Methods<br />

fertilizer recommendations in The Gambia<br />

3.2.1. Trial Location: The Gambia<br />

The trial was conducted in eastern Gambia, on the bank <strong>of</strong> the river<br />

Gambia. The farm is part <strong>of</strong> the Gambia Integrated Rice Development Project.<br />

The project cultivates about 3,000 ha <strong>of</strong> tidal and 620 ha <strong>of</strong> pump irrigated <strong>rice</strong><br />

in eastern Gambia. About 10,000 farmers work within this <strong>rice</strong> irrigation<br />

scheme. Rice is double‐cropped except westward where salt intrusion from<br />

the Atlantic Ocean becomes a limiting fac<strong>to</strong>r. The 1‐part‐per‐thousand salt‐<br />

line is located mid‐way along the river around December, and pushes<br />

eastwards, rarely reaching Sukuta in eastern Gambia before the onset <strong>of</strong> the<br />

rainy season in June, except in very dry years such as 1986.<br />

84

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