SRI in Orissa - Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture ...

Sl.
No.
Productivity Zone
Productivity Range in
kg/ha
Table 2.2: Rice productivity zones
No. of Blocks Constituting
the Zone
Name of the Districts
1 Low < 1554 198 Deogarh, Angul, Bolangir, Baudh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi,
Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada,
Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Sundergarh
2 Medium 1555-2077 78 Balasore, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Puri, Jajpur, Kendrapara
Khurda, Nayagarh
3 High > 2078 38 Bhadrak, Bargarh, Jagatsingpur, Sambalpur, Cuttack, Sonepur
lakh ha of high land, 18 lakh ha of medium and 15.5 lakh
ha of low land. The entire Rabi area of 3 lakh ha is irrigated
and covered by high yielding paddy whereas only 36% of
Kharif paddy area is under irrigation. The yield rate of rice
is 1.6 t/ha as against national average of 2.1 t/ha.
Basing on the productivity of rice the state can broadly be
divided into three productivity zones as follows.
Strategies to Increase Productivity in
Orissa
Given below are some details on zone wise strategies
that are being tried out to increase rice productivity in
Orissa.
Low Productivity Zone
Emphasis will be given on following measures in medium
land rice eco-system.
1. Seed replacement at the rate of 10% yearly
2. Fertiliser Consumption should be increased to 40 kg.
per ha.
3. Effective utilisation of water resources like minor flow,
minor lift, WHS, dug wells, private LIs, river LIs and other
perennial resources for live saving irrigation.
4. Timely Credit flow.
5. To bridge the gap between actual yield and potential
yield the extension support should be strengthened.
6. In each GP minimum 50 ha. Compact area programme
will be taken up for proper input management to
increase the yield in 16 low productivity districts.
Medium Productivity Zone
1. Seed replacement at the rate of 10% yearly.
2. Fertiliser consumption should be increased to an average
75Kg per ha.
3. Integrated water management is to be followed.
4. In each GP minimum 100 ha. Compact area programme
will be taken up for proper input management to increase
the yield in eight medium productivity districts.
High Productivity Zone
1. Seed replacement at the rate of 10% yearly.
2. Fertiliser Consumption should be increased to 100 kg
per ha.
3. Crop Intensification and Mechanised Farming is to be
adopted.
4. Proper Drainage Management.
5. Substituting more area under Hybrid Rice.
Beside this the other alternatives to increase the rice yield
are substituting more area under Hybrid Rice, practicing SRI
Method, and varietal substitution in problematic areas of
high soil salinity and waterlogged areas.
What is SRI?
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was developed at
Madagascar almost 20 years ago by Fr. Henri de Laulanie, S. J.
and subsequently popularised there by an NGO, Association
Tefy Saina (ATS). It is a “system” rather than a technology
because it is not a fixed set of practices. SRI involves a
number of specific techniques that are always to be tested
and adopted accordingly. The package of practices followed
is the one in which synergistic interactions can produce much
higher grain yields than usually achieved by conventional
practices with new varieties/hybrids and external inputs.
SRI is being practised in our neighbouring state Andhra
Pradesh successfully. By adopting this technology the
farmers of AP harvested more from a unit area as compared
to the conventional method. Keeping this view, to
popularise this technology among the farmers of Orissa,
it is proposed to conduct demonstration (1 Acre each, @
Rs. 6500/- per acre) in SRI on pilot basis.
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Towards a Learning Alliance: SRI in Orissa