System of Rice Intensification: An Opportunity for Marginal and Small Farmers

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Palamu farm and tribal dominated Murma and Dulshulma villages of Satbarwa block. The analysis was done to see how the system of rice intensification method has helped in giving incremental food security for the marginal and sub marginal farmers. The analysis of yield attributes was done using pooled data of all the three land types (upland, midland and low land), irrespective of variety transplanted. For each land holding class, the average projected grain yield was worked out, using the average landholding pattern and multiplying this using average yield data for each land type. The grain yield for all the land types in each size class was added up and converted into a food security measure in terms of the number of days. The increase in average number of effective tillers per hill showed 233.3, 190.9 and 164.5 per cent more in upland, midland and lowland, respectively in SRI than traditional method. The average number of grains per panicle was 164.5, 56.1 and 50.3 per cent more in upland, midland and lowland, respectively in SRI than traditional method. Grain yield showed 79.9, 86.1 and 80.3 per cent increasing trends in upland, midland and lowland respectively, in SRI compared with traditional method whereas straw yield was 47.9, 50.6 and 72.7 per cent more over traditional method. Additional food security days found 125d extra under 0–0.4 ha land holding class while 415d extra under more than 0.8 ha area class.