A Farmer's Journey with SRI Method: Boosting Crop Productivity and Income

Pollob Roy, a beneficiary farmer of the Community Empowerment Project (CEP), Dacope, Khulna. He lives in Batbunia village of Dacope Upazila, a coastal area of Bangladesh. Pollob and his family depend on rice cultivation. Due to the high salinity level in the soil, they can’t grow other crops.

CEP in Dacope, Khulna, implements the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method among the marginalized farmers in Dacope. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a method of rice cultivation that aims to increase rice yields while reducing water usage and input costs. It involves transplanting young rice seedlings at wider intervals and taking care of them in a specific way that allows the plants to grow more efficiently.

By using SRI methods, farmers can produce higher yields of rice with less water and fewer inputs, making it a vital technique for sustainable agriculture. Additionally, SRI can help to improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making it an environmentally friendly method of rice cultivation. Overall, the SRI method has the potential to increase food security and improve livelihoods for rice farmers around the world.

“We were cultivating rice following the traditional methods as we weren’t aware of the SRI method. I received training on SRI from ADRA Bangladesh. The training inspired me a lot. I discovered that SRI is an effective method for rice cultivation than the traditional method,” said Pollob.

Later, Pollob cultivated rice on 120 decimals of land using the SRI method. When he was preparing the lands and sowing the seeds, Pollob faced many obstacles. His neighbors told him not to use the SRI method!

“My father was very angry with me for cultivating paddy in the SRI system and said that if the yield were not good, you would have to pay for the crops. I was also sad to see my father upset,” Pollob unfolded his grief.

Pollob received 5 kg of paddy seeds (BRII-87) from the agriculture office of Dacope, Khulna. Using those seeds, he cultivates paddy by following the SRI method. This year, he has cultivated paddy in 120 decimal lands by following the SRI method. His total cost for cultivating paddy in this method is BDT 18,000.

“This year, I got 2,400 kg of paddy from 120 decimals of land. But before, I got 1,560 kg of paddy from the same lands by applying the traditional method. I can sell BDT 78,000 worth of rice this year. Now, my father and my neighbors are delighted,” said Pollo joyfully.

SRI can improve the quality of the rice produced and increase the income of farmers. With the increasing demand for rice, SRI is becoming progressively essential for sustainable rice cultivation.

“The SRI method is a big learning for me and our community. I hope our neighbors will cultivate paddy using the SRI method in the next year. I want to thank ADRA Bangladesh because they built my confidence and changed my life,” Pollob showed his gratitude towards ADRA Bangladesh.