IRRI And PhilRice Were On The Right Way Toward P20/Kg Rice Or Cheaper, But Their Attempt At System Of Rice Intensification (SRI) Failed Them! Why?

The astounding System of Rice Intensification (SRI) came from Cornell University to the Philippines in 2000, and trial plantings were made in Southern Mindanao, resulting in average yields of 7 t/ha in 2001 and 12 t/ha in 2002 (sri.ciifad.cornell.edu). 20 years later – What happened to the tremendous SRI promise?!

Above, we see the enthusiastic Facebook sharing of PH ex-Secretary of Agriculture William Dar where he says, “In PhilRice, Munoz, Nueva Ecija to visit the testing of SRI Technology and derby on fertilizers on rice!” My comment on the Facebook sharing [translation added]:

In 2003, IRRI reported a very sad SRI yield of 1.44 t/ha – according to CIFAD, Cornell U; PhilRice did not report any encouraging yield either. But Engr Carlos Salazar of NIA reported from his own farm a yield 6.9 t/ha in 2003. Maabak ti IRRI ken PhilRice! Apay ngay? [IRRI and PhilRice are the losers here! Why are they?]😎

Repeat: CIIFAD (above) reports that IRRI tried SRI and got a miserable 1.44 t/ha, while PhilRice itself obtained discouraging yields with SRI. Considering my being an alumnus of UP Los Baños and Editor In Chief of so many theses, dissertations and technical papers, not to mention quite a few technical journals, I greatly suspect something wrong with the methodology as applied independently by both IRRI and PhilRice.

To IRRI and PhilRice, I say: “Time to rise with rice and shine!” Especially with the presidential-candidate challenge and/or promise of now-President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr for a “P20/kg rice” or lower. I interpret that to mean “We will discover one way or another how to bring down the selling price of rice to at P20/kg.” SRI is it!

According to the CIIFAD report (above):

After the director of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in the Department of Agriculture learned about SRI at a conference in Indonesia in 2000, the ATI center in Southern Mindanao undertook trials that averaged over 7 t/ha in 2001 and 12 t/ha in 2002. In 2004, the Cotabato ATI center reported even higher SRI yields. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at Los Baños, however, reported a disappointing yield of only 1.44 t/ha in its 2003 trials followed by a yield of 3 t/ha in 2004. The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) trials similarly did not report significant increases with SRI.

On 20 June 2018, I wrote “PH Rice Self-Sufficiency, No With Duterte, Yes With SRI, If You Know What I Mean!” (Gaia Con Gaia, gaiavsgaia.blogspot.com) about the Zarraga Integrated Diversified Organic Farmers Association (ZIDOFA) SRI experience in Iloilo Province, Panay Island – lower image above shows many tillers from one hill, promising high yield. Joby Arandela, Chair of ZIDOFA, said:

We are spearheading a regenerative agriculture initiative using the climate-friendly and organic-based System of Rice Intensification (SRI) here in Panay Island.

Were IRRI and PhilRice not paying attention to others except their own coconuts that they did not try organic fertilizers? So much for modern agriculture research & development!@517