The area under rice cultivation has been declining in the Indian state of Kerala, in recent years at a rate of 52 ha/day statewide. Failures of the monsoon in recent years, non-availability and high cost of labor and higher input prices are factors responsible for the decline. Seeing SRI as a way to reduce the costs of production, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Farmers’ Science Centre) at Mitraniketan initiated the evaluation and promotion of SRI in Kerala in fall 2004, with technical and financial support from CIIFAD and with guidance from Dr. T. M.Thiyagarajan of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

To begin, the KVK demonstrated SRI practices with 12 farmers in 15 ha of land in Aryanad panchayat of Trivandrum district in a participatory mode. The farmers transplanted young, 8-day-old seedlings and followed all the practices of SRI.

The SRI-adopting farmers harvested an average yield of 7 t/ha compared with the state average of 3 to 3.5 t/ha. The farmers said this was the highest yield ever recorded.Elated by the unexpected bumper yield, farmers held a harvest festival in the locality and shared their experiences so as to encourage others to take up the innovation.

Since December, the KVK has trained about 1000 farmers and more than 500 extension workers from government, local bodies, NGOs, voluntary action groups, private agencies, etc. on SRI. The KVK has also published an information brochure in the local language (Malayalam), a manual in English, and a video presentation for local dissemination.

The KVK informed the Kerala Government and others about the potential of SRI through the state-wide workshop on SRI held November 24, 2004. Presently the KVK is forming a network of interested organizations to spread SRI rapidly to all possible places in the state.