The Beneficial Use of SRI Techniques

Let’s ring in 2014 with a successful story from one of CRDT’s beneficiaries!

Mr. Pov, 47, from Krom village, Stung Treng reported with a smiling face that his tons of rice yield could supply for his whole six members’ family throughout 2014.

In 2013, as one of the farmers in the village, Mr. Pov received the support of 10 kgs of rice seeds from CRDT. He has then applied his agricultural skills in System of Rice Intensification (SRI) on one hectare of land for land preparation, transplantation, caring and harvesting. He challenged his wife and made her worried so much about the rice yield for the year, as soon after transplantation the rice became dry. Fortunately, just few weeks later, the transplanted rice suddenly turned green, started growing very fast producing big stem and plenty of rice grains.

In fact, using the SRI techniques allows the rice yield to be doubled if compared to the traditional rice growing practice. Mr. Pov declared “I got five tons of rice from one hectare of land where I used to get only two tons. From now on, I will expand the land size and share my skills to the other farmers.”  In 2013, Pov was selected as an Extension Worker (EW) to provide agriculture techniques awareness to his fellow villagers. As a role model, he has provided agriculture techniques support including trainings and field demonstrations to some 100 farmers in the four villages in Preash Romkel commune within a year.

Pov would like to express his sincere gratitude to CRDT, WWF, and the Crit­ical Eco­sys­tem Part­ner­ship Fund (CEPF) for bringing hope for his future as to him a healthy rice production equals a happy life.

By Por Narith, Project Manager in Stung Treng project site