The project “Grow more with less: Adaptation, validation and promotion of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in the Americas as a response to climate change” began its activities with a launch event and a first training session in the Dominican Republic. Fifteen participants toured rice fields to see SRI in practice and learn about the machinery available in the country to support production. The initiative is led by a consortium made up of IICA, the Dominican Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Research (IDIAF), the National Council for Agricultural and Forestry Research (CONIAF) and Colombia’s National Federation of Rice Growers (FEDEARROZ).

SRI is used by some 9.5 million farmers on more than 3.4 million hectares in 50 countries. Rather than a fixed technology package, it rests on four flexible principles:

• early and healthy plant establishment;

• reduced competition between plants;

• fertile soils rich in organic matter;

• careful water management that avoids both flooding and water stress.

The project will validate the system with Dominican and Colombian farmers and look for mechanization solutions to overcome one of its main challenges in the region: the labor cost of transplanting.

🔗 Launch news story (in Spanish) 🔗 Project page (in Spanish)