The document summarizes the status of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Nigeria. SRI aims to promote more productive rice plants through improved management practices. While some initial trials were conducted in Nigeria, SRI has not been widely adopted. A recent trial in Jigawa State showed promising results, with a farmer achieving 3.8 tons/hectare using SRI compared to 0.8-1 ton/hectare using standard practices. For SRI to succeed in Nigeria, improved awareness, training, research and extension are needed, as SRI has the potential to greatly benefit small-scale farmers if adopted.

1. Status of SRI in Nigeria
Regional Workshop on the System of Rice
Intensification
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 26 & 27 July, 2012
Shaibu, Abraham Attah, Shaibu, Abdulrazak
and Muhammad Ahmad Adamu
West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program
(WAAPP)
Green Sahel & Rural Development Initiative
(GSARDI)
Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria
(ARCN)

2. Outline of Presentation
 Introduction
 Background
 Objective
 Constraints
 Perspective of SRI in Nigeria
 Expectations

3. Introduction
 The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was
developed as a set of insights and practices
that changed the management of plants, soil,
water and nutrients used in growing irrigated
rice.
 The concepts and practices of SRI methods is
promoting growth of more productive and
robust plants:

4. Background
 There have been a number of contacts made
and trials started over the years, but so far,
there has been no well-documented start-up of
SRI in Nigeria,
 So it has not been counted as one of the
countries where the validity of SRI methods
has been satisfactorily demonstrated.

5. Background cont’d
 There were trials reported from the Sabon Gari
station of Ahmadu Bello University in 2006-
07, but these were not satisfactorily
documented.
 In 2007, there was SRI training reported from
Ondo State but the results of farmer trials were
not reported.

6. Background cont’d
 In 2009, contacts were made with Department
of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University and
University of Ibadan who were interested in
SRI, but programs have not started at these
universities yet.

7. Background cont’d
 In July 2011, a promising start for SRI
evaluation and demonstration was made in
Jigawa State.
 An NGO, Green Sahel Agricultural and Rural
Development Initiative (GSARDI), conducted
a training program on SRI and organic
methods with support from the Expanded
Agribusiness and Trade Promotion (E-TAP)
project of USAID.

8. Facilitators of 1st SRI workshop in
Nigeria with Chairman RIFAN

9. Step Down Training after the
workshop
Rotary weeder fabricated locally by GSARDI

10. Seedlings at 10 days for
transplanting after the workshop

11. Conventional Vs SRI transplanting
Conventional SRI

12. SRI Demo Plot showing low
water management (18 DAP)

13. Background cont’d
 Trial/demonstration plots, transplanted as part
of the training program as shown below and
reported to be doing well.

14. Background cont’d
 The photo below shows rice plants at 23 days
after transplanting that were originally
transplanted when 10 days old (single
seedling).

15. Background
 A farmer in Lagos State, Nigeria, attended a
training program on SRI methodology in
Jigawa State under GSARDI
 His average yield recorded under standard
practices was 0.8 – 1.0 t/ha
 Yield recorded using SRI methodology was
3.8 t/ha

16. Objective
Main:
SRI methods are particularly accessible to and
beneficial for the poor, who need to get the
maximum benefit from their limited land,
labour, water and capital.
Specific:
Give higher yield -- more tons of rice per unit
area (hectare or acre),

17. Constraint
 Lack of appropriate awareness, information
and data documentation on SRI methodology
 Poor resource base and ignored agricultural
development strategies
 Lack of adequate training for Technical
Personnel at initial stage of SRI in
collaborative institutions

18. Perspective of SRI in Nigeria
 SRI can be widely adopted in Nigeria if
practices are properly disseminated and
adopted by the target audience (poor farmers)
 SRI practices are feasible but validation of
comparative advantage of the system over the
existing standard practices could enhance its
adoption
 Research data on SRI and standard practices
are often useful for generating hypothesis or
understanding of the best option

19. Expectations
 Enhanced understanding of the SRI concept
 Understanding the status of SRI in member-
countries of ECOWAS
 Cross-fertilization of ideas on SRI in ECOWAS
 Determining concepts for SRI in various countries
 Development of the resource base for country
take off of SRI activities
 Development of ACTION PLAN for Nigeria
A. Research B. Extension

20. One of the organizers in a happy mood after
transplanting the 1st SRI Demo in Jigawa State,
Nigeria

21. Thanks for your
attention
“Merci”