Agricultural Antipoverty Program
System of Rice Intensification
Our community-driven programs building up local canal systems attached to our reservoir have created more opportunities to improve rice crop yields every year. We train community members in a process called SRI, or the System of Rice Intensification. Originally created by Association Tefy Siana, an NGO based in Madagascar, and now perfected by the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development, this methodology follows simple and proven steps which has the ability to increase rice production by up to 1 ton per hectare per year.
Traditionally rice is grown as a water-intensive crop. From the first seeds to the final harvesting, rice plants are kept in flooded fields, partially submerged in between two to six inches of water. 
However SRI teaches that rice is not inherently an aquatic plant and in the early seedling stages, it actually grows better when given less water.By following a program that transplants rice seedlings earlier, plants seedlings farther apart and uses all organic materials for fertilizer, farmers using SRI grow stronger, more productive rice plants. From there, frequent and early weeding, as well as earlier crop harvesting leads not only to greater rice yield but also better quality rice that can be sold at a premium price.
These relatively simple methods cost very little for farmers to participate, use less water and can bring in an additional $200 to impoverished families per hectare of rice planted every year.
