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A STUDY ON SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION (SRI): A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY

IN TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU

Research · October 2017

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 iNterNatioNal JourNal of CurreNt
Agricultural Sciences
Available Online at http://www.journalijcas.com
Vol. 7, Issue, 10, pp. 250-253, October , 2017

Research Article
iSSN: 2277-1026
A STUDY ON SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION (SRI): A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY IN
TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU
Thatchinamoorthy. C*
Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University.

A R T IC LE IN F O
Received 9th July, 2017
Received in revised form 20th
August, 2017 Accepted 10th September, 2017
Published online 28th October, 2017
Keywords:
System of rice intensification, Knowledge,
Adoption, Impact, Constraints.
AB S TR A C T
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a method of increasing the yield of rice
produced in farming. The study entitled “System of Rice Intensification: - A diagnostic
Study in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu.” aimed to know the relationship and influence
of the independent variables on the adoption behaviour of the respondents. It also aimed to
analyze the knowledge level, extent of adoption, of the recommended practices among the
SRI farmers. The study was conducted in Vasudevanallur block of Tirunelveli district in
Tamil Nadu. A total of 120 respondents were selected, and interviewed using a well
structured, pretested interview schedule. In addition to percentage analysis, cumulative
frequency, correlation co-efficient and multiple regressions were the statistical tools
employed.

System of Rice Intensification cultivation practices around Fifty percent of the SRI farmers
had medium level of knowledge and particularly cent per cent of the respondents possessed
knowledge about the age of seedlings for transplanting, the spacing recommended for
transplanting, number seedlings planted in a hill and name of the mechanical weeder.
Respondents of the study area had medium to high level of adoption of recommended SRI
technologies. They had adopted the recommended technologies selection of right season,
use of certified seeds, recommended seed rate, recommended seedling age, transplanting
single seedling per hill and weeding by cono weeders at high level. They had not followed
the recommended size of nursery bed, alternate wetting and drying and use of leaf colour
chart. The major constraints expressed by the SRI farmers were difficulty in transplanting
10-12 days old seedlings, operation of cono weeding in sandy soils and clay soils, greater
weed incidence in SRI due to wider spacing and time bound irrigation management.

Copyright © 2018 Thatchinamoorthy. C., This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

INTRODUCTION growing demand due to population pressure. Under this

Rice is one of the prominent cereal crops in India. It is an
important staple food about 50 per cent of the world’s
population that resides in Asia, where 90 per cent of the
world’s rice is grown and consumed. In Asia, India has the
largest area under rice (41.66 million ha) accounting for 29.4
per cent of the global rice area. The United Nations General
Assembly, in a resolution declared the year 2004 as the
“International Year of Rice”, which has tremendous
significance to food security. It very eloquently upheld the
need to heighten the awareness for the role of rice in alleviating
poverty and malnutrition (Thatchinamoorthy,C and Rexlin
Selvin 2015). Rice is an important ingredient of household
food basket, yet the yield level has been low and uncertain in
India. The operational holding-size is shrinking, and land and
water resources are being degraded. And therefore, some
innovative rice production practice is needed to meet its
scenario, the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) may be an
appropriate practice to produce more food with less input. SRI
is actually an amalgamation of refined and intensive
management practices for rice production at farmers’ fields
(Thatchinamoorthy.C, 2016). The System of Rice
Intensification (SRI) is a method of increasing the yield of rice
produced in farming. SRI is considered to be a disembodied
technological breakthrough in paddy cultivation. SRI involves
the application of certain management practices, which to
together provide better growing conditions for rice plants,
particularly in the root zone, than those for plants grown under
traditional practices. This system seems to be promising to
overcome the shortage of water in irrigated rice
(Thatchinamoorthy and Rexlin Selvin 2015). It was developed
in Madagascar in the early 1980s by Father Henride Laulanie, a
Jesuit Priest, who spent over 30 years in that country working
with farmers.

* Corresponding author: Thatchinamoorthy. C

Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University.
 Thatchinamoorthy. C., IJCAS, Vol. 7, Issue, 10, pp. 250-253, October, 2017
The advantages of SRI cultivation is that it offers opportunities
to improve agricultural productivity and product quality,
reduces the use of inputs leads to reduce the cost of cultivation
and helps to minimise the water consumption rate of the crop.
However adoption and perceived impact of any innovation is
hampered or hastened mainly by farmers’ characteristics and
also the environment in which they live. So to what the farmers
perceived on SRI cultivation technologies and to what extent
SRI cultivation technologies were adopted by the farmer is an
another vital thing needs to be given priority after evolution of
such technologies. Hence the study entitled “System of Rice
Intensification: A diagnostic Study in Tirunelveli District of
Tamil Nadu.” was proposed to analyse the knowledge level,
extent of adoption, constraints in adoption of SRI technologies
and the perceived impact of the recommended practices among
the SRI farmers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was taken up in Vasudevanallur block of Tirunelveli
district in Tamil Nadu with a sample size of 120 SRI farmers.
The research design is the entire process of planning and
carrying out the research. For this study, Expost-facto research
design was followed (Thatchinamoorthy,C and Rexlin Selvin
2014). A list of farmers practicing System of Rice
Intensification (SRI) was obtained from the Assistant Director
of Agriculture office of Vasudevanallur Block. There were
more than 100 farmers practicing System of Rice
Intensification (SRI) in each villages of the block. By
considering the sample size of the study, it has been decided to
select 30 farmers from each of the four villages, where the
highest number of farmers practicing System of Rice
Intensification (SRI) extensively. Accordingly the sample has
been fixed as 120 SRI farmers.
The respondents were selected by employing simple random
sampling technique in each village. Thirteen independent
variables and dependent variables knowledge, adoption were
analysed in this study. Apart from the knowledge and adoption
levels of SRI farmers the perceived impact of adoption of SRI
technologies was studied. Further constraints faced by the
respondents and in adopting the technologies were also
analysed. The data were collected by using a well-structure and
pre-tested interview schedule. The data collected were coded,
tabulated and analysed using suitable statistical tools.
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
In social science, it is essential to analyse the profile
characteristics of farmers, which would give a basic and clear
picture about the background of the farmers. This would help
in interpreting the data gathered in an effective way. The
profile characteristics of the SRI farmers are presented in the
Table 1. It could be seen from the, table that majority of the
respondents (61.70 %) belonged to the old age category. In the
study area, majority of the young & middle age respondents
were more interested to work in companies and factories than
in farm fields. It could be inferred from the above findings that
majority (79.20 %) of the respondents were literates and their
educational level varied from primary to secondary. Thus, the
International Journal of Current Agricultural Sciences
IMPACT FACTOR: 2015 - 0.654
findings revealed that majority of the respondents were
educated. The availability of the higher secondary schools and
Arts and Science Colleges in the nearby study area might be the
contributing factors.From the table 1, it could be revealed that
majority (84.20 per cent) of the respondents were having
business as their primary occupation and considered agriculture
as their secondary occupation.
The higher educational level of the respondents and the
availability of 10 printing press, companies and factories in the
study area were the reasons for the 16.00 per cent of the
respondents doing farming as primary occupation. Cultivating
SRI in less than 2.5 ac by most of the respondents contributed
for the low and medium annual income. It is evident from the
table that majority (71.70 per cent) had medium level of farming
experience (25 years), Thus the finding reveals that, majority of
the SRI farmers had medium level of farming experience
followed by high and low level of farming experience. Since
most of the farmers had less land holdings, they preferred to
cultivate paddy as the main crop extensively.
The membership of SRI farmers in farmers association, self-
help groups, co-operative milk society, agricultural credit
society and panchayat contributed for the high level of social
participation. The multiple roles of farmers in farm and home
activities, lack of leisure time available to participate in
organizational activities, might be the reasons for the low level
of social participation. In this study the risk orientation
behaviour of the SRI farmers were found to be in medium to
high level. The interest of the vast farming experience of the old
and middle and educated respondents’ scientific innovations,
better social participation and medium level of social orientation
would have made them to face the risk while adopting the SRI
techniques.
In general it could be inferred that majority of the respondents
possessed medium to high level of credit orientation. The
difficulties experienced by farmers in getting crop loans from
the credit institution, delay in sanctioning of credit, lack of
guidance about the availability of loans from credit institution.
might be the reasons for having medium to high level of credit
orientation. It is observed from the above table, that 68.30 per
cent of the SRI farmers had medium level of extension agency
contact, followed by 22.50 per cent with low level and 09.20 per
cent with high level of extension agency contact. The reason for
medium level of contact with extension agencies might be due
to the need for technical guidance to understand the risky and
complex nature of technologies. From the above results it could
be inferred that, majority of the SRI farmers were under
medium to high level of economic motivation behaviour. The
interest of the respondents to earn more profit per unit area by
adopting SRI practices would have contributed for medium to
high level economic motivation.
251
 Thatchinamoorthy. C., IJCAS, Vol. 7, Issue, 10, pp. 250-253, October, 2017 IMPACT FACTOR: 2015 - 0.654

Table 1 Socio economic profile of SRI farmers

S.No Profile Category Percentage
Young (up to 35 years) 22.5
1. Middle ( above 35 & up to 45 years) 15.8
Age
Old (above 45 years) 61.7
Illiterate 10.00
Functionally literate 10.80
Primary education 20.00
2.
Middle education 12.50
Education level Secondary education 37.50
Collegiate education 9.20
Agriculture as the Primary occupation 15.80
3.
Occupational status Agriculture as the Secondary occupation 84.20
Low 50.80
4. Medium 34.20
Annual income
High 15.00
Low 13.30
5. Medium 71.70
Farming experiences
High 15.00
Up to 2.5 acres 81.67
6. Area under SRI cultivation
More than 2.5 acres 18.33
Low 00.80
7. Medium 81.70
Social participation
High 17.50
Low 05.80
8. Medium 84.20
Scientific orientation
High 10.00
Low 17.50
9.
Medium 55.00
Risk orientation
High 27.50
Low 10.00
10. Medium 70.00
Innovativeness
High 20.00
Low 22.50
11. Medium 68.30
Economic motivation
High 09.20
Low 10.00
12. Medium 70.00
Credit orientation
High 20.00
Low 22.50
13. Medium 68.30
Extension agency contact
High 09.20

Knowledge level of respondents on SRI cultivation cultivation practices. Further, the agricultural scientists also
technologies played an important role in the dissemination of knowledge on
SRI techniques through TN-IAMWARM project. This would
Table 2 Distribution of respondents according to their
have contributed for the medium level of knowledge among
knowledge level
majority of the respondents.
S.No Category Number (n=120) Per cent
1 Low 12 10.00 Adoption level of respondents on SRI cultivation technologies
2 Medium 62 51.70
3 High 46 38.30 Table 3 Distribution of respondents according to their
Total 120 100.00 adoption level(n=120)
A glance at the Table 2, revealed that around 51.70 per cent of S.No Category Number (n=120) Per cent
the respondents had medium level of knowledge followed by 1 Low 8 06.70
2 Medium 84 70.00
38.30 per cent and 10.00 per cent who had high and with low 3 High 28 23.30
levels of knowledge in SRI cultivation method respectively. In Total 120 100.00
general it could be concluded that there existed medium to high
level of knowledge with majority (90.00 per cent) of the It could be observed from Table 3 that majority of the
respondents. The appropriate reason for medium to higher level respondents (93.30 per cent) had medium to high level of
of knowledge on the recommended SRI cultivation practices adoption in the cultivation of paddy under SRI method and
might be due to their higher literacy, area under rice nearly seven percent of respondents had come under low level
cultivation, medium level of credit orientation and medium to of adoption. It could be understood that a vast majority of the
high level of economic motivation and scientific orientation. respondents possessed medium to higher level of adoption. This
The respondents’ ambition to increase their farm income; might be due to their higher knowledge level on the
would have motivated them to gain more knowledge on SRI recommended practices, better extension agency contact, higher

International Journal of Current Agricultural Sciences 252

 Thatchinamoorthy. C., IJCAS, Vol. 7, Issue, 10, pp. 250-253, October, 2017
risk orientation, higher scientific orientation, higher credit
orientation and higher economic motivation. Further,
Government of Tamil Nadu offer subsidies to buy the
implements required for adopting SRI techniques
(Thatchinamoorthy and Rexlinselvin 2015). Those who avail
subsidy facilities understood the efficiency of that implement
through demonstrations and invariably adopted the
technologies in their field.
Perceived impact of SRI farmers towards SRI technology
The impact perceived by the respondents were “SRI
technology helped to use optimum level of input”, “SRI
technology paved way for adopting new technologies” and
“SRI technology helped to reduce cost of cultivation”. Majority
of the respondents (91.66 per cent) opined that the adoption of
SRI technologies had increased their standard of living, helped
them to repay the old loans (89.16 per cent). Regarding the
socio- psychological impact 95.00 per cent of respondents
stated that their self-confidence and health awareness had
increased. In prompt and higher adoption of rate SRI
technologies, created positive impact among the SRI farmers.
Constraints faced by respondents in the adoption of SRI
technologies
Cent per cent of the respondents expressed the constraints;
techniques is best suited only to small and marginal farmers
and it is difficult for big farmers to adopt the technologies in
the large area, operation of cono weeding is difficult in sandy
soils and Difficulty in removing weeds close to plant, cono
weeder is heavier and restricted to male labourers and damage
to the cono weeder while in operation. Nearly half of the
respondents expressed difficulty in transplanting and it takes
more time.
CONCLUSION
Based on the findings, the implications of this present study
may be useful for further development of SRI cultivation. The
age level of the majority of the respondents was old and their
educational level was high.
*******
International Journal of Current Agricultural Sciences
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IMPACT FACTOR: 2015 - 0.654
Hence the overall adoption of the respondents was found to be
distributed between medium to high categories (23-70 per cent)
by adopting appropriate extension strategies such as training,
demonstration, exhibitions, etc., cent percent knowledge and
adoption could be achieved among the SRI farmers. While
analyzing the knowledge it was found that less than one fourth
of the respondents had poor knowledge on Size of the nursery
area, preferred time for taking observation using leaf colour
chart and maintenance of recommended height of water level.
Hence, intensive training with demonstrations on these above
technologies may be given by the extension personnel of the
State of Department Agriculture. While analysing the
constraints the inputs such as fertilizers, seeds and pesticides
were not supplied timely. Hence, with the help of co-operative
society/ tie-up with some input agencies they can be supplied on
time to enjoy the whole fruit of SRI cultivation. As
technological constraints nearly cent per cent of the respondents
quoted difficulty in using cono weeder in sandy and clay soil.
Researchers are to be taken to fabricate user friendly weeder, so
that they can utilise the weeder and get the technological
advantages of it in SRI cultivation.
References
1. Thatchinamoorthy, C and Rexlin Selvin. A Study on
Profile System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Paddy
Growers in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu.
International Journal of Current Research, vol 6, Issue 04,
pp.6066, April, 2014.
2. Thatchinamoorthy, C and Rexlin Selvin. Adoption level
System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Technology among
Farmers in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu.
3. Thatchinamoorthy,C. System of Rice Intensification in
Empowering Self-Help Group People. Innovare Journal of
Agricultural Science, vol 4, Issue 4, 2016.
253