Improve rice production while saving on increasingly scarce water (African Agriculture)

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http://www.africanagricultureblog.com/2011/09/kenya-new-rice-planting-system-saves.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+africanagricultureblog%2FNaEx+%28African+Agriculture%29

Kenya: New rice planting system saves water, seeds

by Ngondi Mburu

Kenyan rice farmers are switching to a new technology that is set to double production. The System for Rice Intensification (SRI) developed by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is expected to improve production by more than 50 per cent while saving on increasingly scarce water.

Rather than planting a group of seeds together, the new method uses only one seedling per hole with a wider spacing between holes of 25 cm by 25 cm. This saves on inputs as farmers use 25 per cent of seeds used in the conventional paddy system and less fertiliser.

With wider spacing, rice plants get more sunlight, air and nutrients, allowing faster growth of roots and canopies, producing stronger stalks and more tillers.

The new system saves water by about 25 per cent to 50 per cent, allowing for the saved water to be used to expand the production area. Water scarcity has been affecting most rice-growing schemes with frequent rationing affecting production. The situation is expected to worsen with increasing population and climate change.

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