System of Rice Intensification

Until 1969, the Balinese grew and ate at least a dozen traditional varieties of rice known as Padi Bali, which took about 150 days to mature.  Bali’s ‘Green Revolution’ began in the late 1960s, when food security in Indonesia became a serious issue. The Indonesian government and the World Bank introduced a hybrid white rice called IR36 which was to mature in 120 days, and all Indonesian farmers were ordered to grow this new crop, which was heavily dependent on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  In this “conventional” cultivation method of growing hybrid rice, farmers plant about 10 rice seedlings in bunches about 20 cm apart, flood the field and treat it with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.

Through Tri Hita Karana’s trainings, a new method of cultivating rice has now been introduced to Bali: the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).  Planting just one seedling 30 cm apart instead of a bunch together allows the plant to grow more strongly, saving 90% of seed costs and 80% of the water used in conventional crops.  Because the seedling doesn’t have to compete for nutrition and sunlight, SRI can yield up to 100% more rice than conventional rice cultivation, while rehabilitating the soil since no chemical inputs are needed.

 
The impacts of this new method are far-reaching, offering more income for farmers and a healthier  environment for future generations. Tri Hita Karana Bali has now trained over 150 farmers in System of Rice Intensification.  Local farmers now using the SRI method have been able to reduce their seed usage for 1 hectare of land from 50 kilos down to as little as 7 kilos, and have already seen a dramatic yield increase of more than 50% by utilizing the SRI technique.

Support

Donate online via Paypal, or contact us for additional ways to give.