Experiences of Farmers in India Experiences of Farmers in ... - AgSri

Orissa
Paddy cultivation
54
Debraj Das
Chandanpur
Orissa
Contact: Dr. A. Ghosh,
Sr. Scientist, Agronomy,
Division of Crop Production,
Central Rice Research Institute
(CRRI), Cuttack, Orissa.
Ph: 9437271328
Age: 45 years
Education: IV pass
Family size: Five
Occupation(s): Agriculture
and Wage work
No. of years in farming: Eight
His total agriculture land is two acres, of which paddy land is 1.4 acres. He uses
rainfall as the main water source. The inputs used per acre are seed (35 kg) and
fertilizers [(Basal: Gromor (a compound fertilizer containing 28% each of N and P)
25 kg; first top dressing: Urea 25 kg, MoP 15 kg, second top dressing: Urea 15 kg)].
The yield obtained by the flooding method is 1.4 t/acre.
SRI adoption
Debraj Das learnt about SRI from CRRI and BASIX, a local NGO. He adopted SRI
in 2005 and was given training and guidance by CRRI and BASIX. The area under
SRI is 0.6 acres. He has grown three seasons of SRI crop using the Sarala variety.
He used the following inputs: seeds (2.5 kg) and fertilizers (Basal: Gromor 40 kg,
MoP 15 kg, top dressing: Urea 40 kg). He followed the following SRI practices:
transplanting 15 day old seedling, draining of water one month after transplanting,
weeding after one month. He did the line-sowing using rope, and used the Rotary
hoe weeder. He dealt with the pest attack by using botanical pesticides. The yield
used to be about 2.8 t/acre.
Innovations and modifications
Weeding was not possible 15 days after transplanting, so it was done after 25
days.
Benefits
Fewer wage labourers are required: uprooting requires only two labourers
as against 12 labourers in conventional planting. Transplanting requires 15
labourers, as against 35 per acre.