An Analysis of Constraints in Large Scale Dissemination of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Odisha, India

Abstract

Rice is the staple food of Odisha in terms of area, production and yield. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) involves adoption of changes in management practices of rice cultivation creating a favourable condition for crop growth with less utilization of inputs. Despite the benefits, SRI has not adopted by the farmers as expected in the state. This paper attempted to analyse the perception of Odisha farmers regarding major constraints hindering widespread of SRI by different categories of farmers (i.e. adopters, dropouts and non-adopters) in the state and the positive impact of SRI. The study indicates that around 70% of farmers had positive outlook for SRI in terms of yield, profitability and improved soil status followed by reduced use of critical inputs. Maintaining required water at field situation, difficulty in mechanical weeding, lack of assured source of irrigation, covering higher area under mechanical weeder, erratic rainfall, lack of availability of skilled labour for practicing various methods of SRI particularly transplanting and weeding, non-availability of sufficient FYM and green manure and bio fertilizers are the major constraints in widespread adoption of SRI as perceived by the farmers. SRI area expansion hindered mainly because of infeasible land topography, area saturation and lack of farmers’ interest