Tamil Nadu - Nagapattinam   

A tool to increase paddy yield

NAGAPATTINAM: The System of Rice Intensification, known as SRI method, can increase kuruvai and samba paddy yield, agricultural scientists have said. They were addressing a workshop on organic rice at Sangamangalam near here on Tuesday.

It was organised by ‘VAANGHAI’ (Virtual Action on Agriculture by Nagurway Growing and Husbandry of Animals India) and co-sponsored by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and Indian Overseas Bank, Nagapattinam.

T.M. Thiyagarajan, agricultural scientist from Rice Research Station at Tirur, said that the technique was gaining popularity among rice farmers in several States.

“It has the potential to improve water and land productivity in irrigated rice cultivation,” he said.

Rice was being cultivated on about 42.5 million hectares and it needed more water than any other crop.

“The SRI method is now being adopted in about 20 countries and more nations are evincing interest in it,” he said. The uniqueness of cultivation of organic rice under the SRI methodology was to reduce the cost of cultivation with minimal irrigation, improved productivity to enrich farmers’ lifestyle and income. Using organic inputs in SRI is increasing the yield better than chemical fertilizers, he said.

Scientists, including P. Parthasarathy, K. Thiyagarajan and R. Rajendran from Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai, and K.C. Gouthaman from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sikkal, highlighted the importance of adopting SRI method.

K. Venugopal, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Nagapattinam, said that the workshop had made several recommendations, including the farmers training centres to inculcate participatory approach for promoting organic farming in SRI. Each farmer in the VAANGHAI network should promote at least one organic farmer every year.

The NABARD had promoted farmers’ clubs in the State and Sangai Uzhavar Mandram, the NABARD’s farmers’ club at Sangamangalam near Sikkal, was benefiting the ryots of the district.

A book on “Organic Farming in SRI” was released at the workshop.

G. Moghanraj Yadav, managing trustee of VAANGHAI, R. Muthusamy, Senior Regional Manager, IOB, Nagapattinam, spoke.

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A tool to increase paddy yield

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