Revolutionizing Rice Farming in Senegal: The System of Rice Intensification

Revolutionizing Rice Farming in Senegal: The System of Rice Intensification

In the northern region of Saint Louis, Senegal, farmers have long relied on purchasing extra rice due to limited yields. However, the introduction of the “system of rice intensification” (SRI) by the government’s National Agricultural and Rural Advisory Agency (ANCAR) has transformed the situation. With SRI, rice yields have more than doubled, enabling families to sustain themselves and generate surplus for income. This innovative approach not only ensures food security but also contributes to combating climate change and conserving water resources.

Spreading the Success of SRI Across Africa

Developed in Madagascar in the mid-1960s, SRI has gained momentum in Africa over the past two decades, supported by a passionate group of advocates and international partners. Recognizing its potential to reduce methane emissions, Senegal and four other countries included SRI projects as “mitigation actions” in their 2020 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris climate agreement. In collaboration with the Sahara and Sahel Observatory, West African states launched a new project to expand SRI usage to over 150,000 farmers across the region.

Tackling Challenges and Transforming Senegal’s Agriculture

Senegal, where 70% of the population is engaged in agriculture, faces food insecurity despite limited arable land. Historically reliant on imports to meet food needs, the country has prioritized domestic rice production through subsidies. However, traditional rice farming methods that rely on flooded fields pose challenges in Senegal’s dry climate. Surface water evaporates rapidly, making it difficult for small-scale farmers to sustain flooded rice crops.

Enter SRI, a game-changer for Senegal’s agricultural landscape. Bancy Mati, an agronomist from Jomo Kenyatta University, explains that SRI offers increased yields, reduced seed usage, and water savings simultaneously. By optimizing plant competition, managing water and oxygen availability in the soil, and improving soil fertility, SRI empowers farmers to overcome the limitations of traditional rice cultivation.

The Core Principles of SRI and its Pioneers

The methodology behind SRI originated from the observations of French priest Henri de Laulanié, who worked closely with resource-constrained farmers in rural Madagascar. Laulanié founded the nonprofit organization Tefy Saina, collaborating with Cornell University scientist Norman Uphoff on SRI research projects. Uphoff and his team shared their findings with the scientific community, highlighting SRI’s ability to produce more rice with less water across diverse soil and climate conditions.

SRI’s core principles include reducing plant competition, maintaining a balanced water-oxygen ratio in the soil, and enhancing soil fertility. In practice, farmers transplant young rice seedlings from unflooded nurseries, spacing them apart to minimize competition. Water management involves providing small amounts of water daily or alternating between flooding and drying the land. This approach improves root health and fosters thriving soil ecosystems.

The adoption of SRI in Senegal and its expansion across Africa signifies a transformative shift in rice farming practices. By embracing sustainable and innovative methods like SRI, countries like Senegal can enhance food security, reduce reliance on imports, improve climate resilience, and uplift the livelihoods of farmers.