Impact of SRI on Crop Yields, Water Productivity and Economic Returns

In Kenya, rice is the third most important cereal after maize and wheat, but it is rapidly gaining in popularity. The current paddy system of rice production in Mwea depends on a continuous supply of water for irrigation. However, challenges such as competition for water among farmers within and outside the irrigation scheme result in reduced yields. To meet the demand with the limited water resources in a sustainable way, new innovative ways of rice crop production are needed. SRI is an innovation that offers an opportunity to reduce water demand accompanied by yield increases of rice. This book presents results after a study on SRI practices, particularly a combination of transplanting quickly one young seedling per hill, alternate wetting and drying, and wider spacing between plants, and their effects on plant growth and subsequently on grain yield, water productivity and benefit-cost ratio. Application of a model to assess these effects on rice was the first in Kenya. The reasons for, and challenges of SRI adoption process by farmers, expandable and irrigable area for more rice production were also investigated and determined.