Pasali conducts Training on System of Rice Intensification Methodologies

Pasali's Extension Service Provider team recently conducted a three-day training on System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methodologies last August 30 to September 1, 2016 at Pasali Learning and Resource Center in Barangay Baliango, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. The training was attended by 31 farmers from different barangays of Palimbang. It intended to promote SRI as climate-smart agro-ecological methodology for increasing the productivity of rice by changing the management of plants, soil, water and nutrients.

​The training is in line with the government’s rice program of attaining rice sufficiency within the first two years of Duterte Administration.  SRI practitioners worldwide have observed its following benefits: 1) Higher yields – of both grain and straw; 2) Reduced duration of crop cycle by 10-15 days; 3) Less chemical inputs; 4) Less water requirement; 5) Less chaffy grain; 6) Grain weight increased without change in grain size; 7) Higher head rice recovery rate; 8) Withstands cyclonic gales; and 9) Soil health improves through biological activity. The benefits of SRI have been seen already in 40 countries, with increased production of both improved and local rice varieties.
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Training resource person prof. Mansueto Cuaton from MSU- College of Agriculture

The training was done through series of lectures which were facilitated by Prof. Mansueto Cuaton from the Mindanao State University College of Agriculture, one of the training resource persons. He said that farmers have an opportunity to produce organically grown rice products and traditional rice varieties through SRI.

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Palimbang Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Municipal Agriculture Officer Samrod Kathiang, gave a short message during the training. He challenged rice farmer participants by learning new technologies to increase rice production.
 
As part of the training the rice farmers had a practicum on transplanting seedlings at Pasali's demo farm and a practicum on producing organic fertilizers.

The training was highlighted with Pasali's experience in SRI. Pasali experts shared to the participants the SRI practices and eventually on the 3rd day they demonstrated in practicum the actual seeds selection, marking and transplanting at Pasali's demo farm. ​