03 Oct 2007 - Tripura,
India – A new method to grow rice could
save hundreds of billions of cubic metres
of water while increasing food security,
according to a study by WWF published today.
With a focus on India – a country which
faces a major water crisis, yet has the
world’s largest rice cultivated area – the
study found that the system of rice intensification
(SRI) method has helped increase yields
by over 30% — four to five tonnes per hectare
instead of three tonnes per hectare, while
using 40% less water than conventional methods.
The system is based on eight principles
which are different to conventional rice
cultivation. They include developing nutrient-rich
and un-flooded nurseries instead of flooded
ones; ensuring wider spacing between rice
seedlings; preferring composts or manure
to synthetic fertilizers; and managing water
carefully to avoid that the plants’ roots
are not saturated.
The method was initially developed in the
1980s in Madagascar and has been demonstrated
to be effective in 28 countries.
“Although the system of rice intensification
has shown its advantages, the scale of its
use leaves much to be desired,” said Dr
Biksham Gujja, Senior Policy Adviser at
WWF International.
"It is time to start large-scale programmes
to support a method that could make a lasting
global impact with far-reaching benefits
to people and nature.”
The report suggests that major rice-producing
countries — such as India, China and Indonesia
— convert at least 25% of their current
rice cultivation to the new system by 2025.
This would not only massively reduce the
use of water but also help ensure food security.
In addition, this will reduce significant
amount of methane emissions. SRI fields
do not emit methane as is the case with
the more conventional system of growing
rice.
For example, if the SRI method was applied
to 20 million hectares of land under rice
cultivation in India, the country could
meet its food grain objectives of 220 million
tonnes of grain by 2012 instead of 2050.
Authorities in the Indian state of Tripura
have already committed to move in that direction.
“Our farmers proved that the system of
rice intensification improves productivity
and we will convert at least 40% of our
rice cultivation using this method over
the next five years,” said Manik Sarkar,
Chief Minister of Tripura State.
“We urge this as a model for rice cultivation
elsewhere as it represents one hope for
the water crisis affecting so many billions
of people.”
Demand for a water-intensive crop such
as rice is expected to increase by 38% by
2040, deepening the water crisis during
the same time. However, less than 6% of
rice is traded internationally and savings
in water have potential for mitigating domestic
water conflicts, especially in poor, rural
areas where water is scarce.
Already 1.2 billion people have no access
to adequate water for drinking and hygiene.
WWF is focusing on sustainable agriculture
efforts for cotton, sugar and rice, some
of the most consuming crops for which alternative
techniques can result in a strong yield
and water savings.
END NOTES:
• The report More Rice with Less Water
was released today at a conference held
3-5 October in Tripura. The conference is
being jointly organized by the Department
of Agriculture of the Government of Tripura,
the Directorate of Rice Research (DRR),
the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI),
the Directorate of Rice Development (DRD),
the Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University
(ANGRAU), the National Bank for Agriculture
and Rural Development (NABARD), Sir Dorabji
Tata Trust (SDTT) Mumbai and World Wide
Fund for Nature (WWF)-ICRISAT Dialogue Project
based at ICRISAT, Patancheru.
• Rice is the main source of directly consumed
calories for about half the world’s population
and 90 per cent of it is produced and consumed
in Asia.
• Contrary to popular belief, rice is not
an aquatic plant and the main reason it
is submerged in water is for controlling
weeds.
• Conventional method of rice cultivation
uses 60-70 kilos of seeds per hectare, SRI
requires just five kilos per hectare.
Lisa Hadeed, Communications Manager
WWF Global Freshwater Programme
