More Crop per Drop of Water: Adoption and Dis-adoption Dynamics of System of Rice Intensification

For efficient use of water, there is a dire need to manage acute water scarcity in agriculture through the adoption of sustainable water management technologies. To produce more crops per drop of water, the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technology is being promoted. We undertook a case study in the state of Kerala, India, to examine the factors influencing adoption and dis-adoption of SRI. The humid and tropical climate of Kerala is conducive for rice cultivation. However, over the years, the area under rice cultivation in Kerala has been declining. In this context, SRI technology has emerged as a prominent tool to achieve increased rice production and thus productivity. The study reveals that factors such as experience in farming, income from off-farm and non-farm sources, size of landholding and contact with agriculture extension officers are significant determinants of adoption of SRI technology. On the other hand, factors such as difficulty in water management and early transplantation, non-availability of skilled labour and difficulty in using the cono weeder cause the dis-adoption of SRI. We suggest that, in addition to promoting SRI technology, it is also imperative to develop effective irrigation facilities and promote participatory irrigation management to produce more crop per drop of water. Many farmers who discontinued SRI technology cited the lack of institutional support and capacity building as the factors influencing their decision. Therefore, the state government needs to focus on these aspects so that not only dis-adoption can be minimized significantly, but more farmers can also be encouraged to adopt the technology in the coming years.