December 23 2005
Nepal Mountain News
Scientists, Farmers Discuss Rice Intensification
Scientists and farmers across the country shared their experiences about rice intensification at a program here in the capital today. The program organized by the ICIMOD was zeroed in on technology for growing rice popularly known as ‘system of rice intensification (SRI)’. The workshop will also discuss the future of an outreach strategy for SRI and further research to maximize the benefits of technology.
SRI is an economic agricultural practice in rice production that requires less input, but yields as much if not more. Under the system 8-12 days young rice lead seedlings are transplanted at wider spacing than the traditional method(generally 25cmx25cm or even wider), applying only a small amount of water while preparing the field for transplanting. The system does not need continuous flooding except during the flowering stages. When the land start cracking, it is irrigated just enough to moisten the soil. Alternate dry and moist conditions improve soil aeration and thus help the plants to grow vigorously. Weed control is an essential part of this agricultural technology and contributes to improve yields, according to a press statement issued by the ICIMOD. In testing and promoting SRI as a better option for rice production, ICIMOD’s People and Resources Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds (PARDYP) project in Nepal supported a trainers’ training program using the farmer field school approach. PARDYP-Nepal provided a trainers’ training for 15 lead farmers from the Jhinkhu Khola watershed. Then, lead farmers ran the farmer’s field schools in 15 villages for about 100 farmers. In each field school, the group of farmers implemented, observed and studied the result of rice growing through SRI . On Farmers’ Day on December 3, all groups from the farmers’ field school presented the implementation procedures and results through flip charts and photograph displays, songs, reports and poems. ICIMOD’s PARDYP project has organized the one day workshop to share these successes with wider groups of farmers. The workshop will be held at ICIMOD’s Headquarters Office in Khumaltar. The system of rice intensification (SRI) was developed by Fr Henri de Laulanie in the 1980s and first tested in Madagaskar, Its popularity as a technology is spreading widely in rice growing countries of the world, the press statement says.
Other News
SRI is an economic agricultural practice in rice production that requires less input, but yields as much if not more. Under the system 8-12 days young rice lead seedlings are transplanted at wider spacing than the traditional method(generally 25cmx25cm or even wider), applying only a small amount of water while preparing the field for transplanting. The system does not need continuous flooding except during the flowering stages. When the land start cracking, it is irrigated just enough to moisten the soil. Alternate dry and moist conditions improve soil aeration and thus help the plants to grow vigorously. Weed control is an essential part of this agricultural technology and contributes to improve yields, according to a press statement issued by the ICIMOD. In testing and promoting SRI as a better option for rice production, ICIMOD’s People and Resources Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds (PARDYP) project in Nepal supported a trainers’ training program using the farmer field school approach. PARDYP-Nepal provided a trainers’ training for 15 lead farmers from the Jhinkhu Khola watershed. Then, lead farmers ran the farmer’s field schools in 15 villages for about 100 farmers. In each field school, the group of farmers implemented, observed and studied the result of rice growing through SRI . On Farmers’ Day on December 3, all groups from the farmers’ field school presented the implementation procedures and results through flip charts and photograph displays, songs, reports and poems. ICIMOD’s PARDYP project has organized the one day workshop to share these successes with wider groups of farmers. The workshop will be held at ICIMOD’s Headquarters Office in Khumaltar. The system of rice intensification (SRI) was developed by Fr Henri de Laulanie in the 1980s and first tested in Madagaskar, Its popularity as a technology is spreading widely in rice growing countries of the world, the press statement says.
Other News
- Corruption levels higher this year: As gloom deepens in the political and policy level, corruption in the country has become rampant over the last one year, said senior business leaders on Thursday. "Lack of policy clarity, unnecessary hassles, practical problems and political instability has resulted in an escalation in the levels of corruption in 2005," said Rabi Bhakta Shrestha, former president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). Also referring to the latest annual report of Transparency International, Shrestha asked both entrepreneurs and officials to stand by their respective norms to control corruption. He noted that involvement of a few businessmen in corrupt practices and illegal trade has embarrassed entire business community, muddied the business environment and has also discouraged genuine traders and businessmen.
- SASEC level eco-tourism guide training ends: A week-long Eco-tourism Guide Training involving 22 participants from Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Bhutan, concluded Thursday. Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Govinda Prasad Pandey, secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that initiatives like the training were very significant as they aim towards imparting value to the existing tourism products and towards exploring the prospects of mutually beneficial and fulfilling partnerships in the days ahead. Pandey said that the philosophy of collective branding and marketing had already been initiated with the themes of eco-tourism and Buddhist heritage under the aegis of South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC).
- Police arrest five in Pokhara: Police have arrested five among many marauders robbing tourists, who had gone to visit the Boudha peace stupa in Pumdibhumdi VDC and Sarangkote VDC in Kaski district on different dates. The marauders according to Kaski district police had looted foreign trekkers in the area and had snatched their valuables like digital cameras and T-shirts and had sold them out to some of the locals. Police also seized knives and other belongings of the culprits from their homes. Police has also arrested those who bought the looted goods from the culprits. Police is still tracking down others who were involved in the looting.