System of Rice Intensification

CHINA

Summary of SRI in China	Reports and Articles	Presentations
Progress / Activities ('10-'12)	Evaluations / Research	Photo Gallery
Activity Archives ('99-'09)	Workshops / Conferences

Summary

A number of concurrent SRI evaluations began in 1999-2000 after Chinese researchers learned about SRI 1) from 1999 article by Justin Rabenandrasana (Association Tefy Saina, ATS) in the ILEIA magazine and 2) from seminars by N. Uphoff at China Agricultural University and Nanjing Agricultural University in December 1998 and at IRRI (Los Baños) in March 1999.

  China - (See also complete photo album)

The first SRI trials were undertaken at Nanjing Agricultural University by Dr. Cao Weixing and colleagues there, followed by evaluations at the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center at Sanya under the direction of Prof. Yuan Longping; at the China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, undertaken by Dr. Zhu Defeng and others; and in Sichuan province by researchers at the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Science, the Sichuan Agricultural University and other institutions at the suggestion of Prof. Yuan.

In April 2002, the first international SRI conference was held in at Sanya, China, hosted by Prof. Yuan and co-sponsored by the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center and the China National Rice Research Institute, together with the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agricultura and Development (CIIFAD) and ATS (see conference proceedings with Chinese reports Ang et al; Tao et al; Wang et al; Yan; Zhu et al). A China National SRI Workshop followed in 2003.

Several variations of SRI have emerged in China over the past decade:

• In Heilungjiong Province, a Chinese version of SRI had already been developed autonomously in the 1990s by the later Prof. Jin Xueyong at Northeast Agricultural University, called the "3S System" for colder climates.
• In Sichuan Province, a triangular planting system was developed by Liu Zhibin at the Meishan Hybrid Seed Farm, attaining a yield of 16 t/ha, as reported by Prof. Yuan Long Ping at the Sanya conference.
• In Jiangsu Province, a wheat-rice rotational farming system --SWRI--, has been developed by the Center for Agroecology and Farming Systems in the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). This system uses mulch with SRI plant management on raised beds to control weeds and conserve soil moisture performs well in both normal years and drought years, but relatively better in the latter. The article reported that in a normal year, SRI methods with mulch would raise farmers' net income from 100 yuan/mu ($220/ha) to 600-800 yuan/mu (>$1,500/ha), whereas in a drought year, income could be raised from a net loss of 200-300 yuan/mu (-$550/ha) to a net profit of 300-500 yuan/much ($880/ha). This has important implications for drought-susceptible areas.
• In Sichuan Province, a mushroom SRI farming system has been developed alternating these crops efficiently and profitably.
• According to an article in the Journal of Sichuan Agricultural Science and Technology (2009, 2: 23), an SRI adaptation known as "integrated technologies with paddy land cover" incorporates SRI principles.
• In Jiangsu Province, a wheat-rice rotational farming system --SWRI--, has been developed by the Center for Agroecology and Farming Systems in the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). This system uses mulch with SRI plant management on raised beds to control weeds and conserve soil moisture performs well in both normal years and drought years, but relatively better in the latter. The article reported that in a normal year, SRI methods with mulch would raise farmers' net income from 100 yuan/mu ($220/ha) to 600-800 yuan/mu (>$1,500/ha), whereas in a drought year, income could be raised from a net loss of 200-300 yuan/mu (-$550/ha) to a net profit of 300-500 yuan/much ($880/ha). This has important implications for drought-susceptible areas.
  
  

By 2010, the SRI area in Sichuan Province had reached over 301,067 ha, starting from 1,133 ha in 2004. SRI methods are currently used in 123 of its 130 rice-growing counties, making it the leading province for SRI utilization. The average SRI yield over the five-year period on this total area has been 9.2 t/ha, representing an average increase of 1.63 t/ha over rice cultivation in the province with current methods.

2010 status of SRI in China and Korea was presented at a Workshop on the System of Rice Intensification, Exchanging Experience in China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Internationally, that was held February 28-March 2, 2010, in Hangzhou, China. While the sections below report on SRI progress primarily in English, much research and reporting on SRI is in Chinese language; what Chinese scientists and practitioners have learned about SRI is very incompletely known outside China. In order to gain a better understanding of the SRI-related research carried out over the past decade in China, SRI-Rice collected research articles in both Chinese and English, translated Chinese abstracts and metadata, and have made these available on our SRI-Rice website as of March 2012 (see chronological list and searchable China SRI RefWorks database).

Progress and Activities

2011-2012 Updates

• Scientists at Top Agricultural Institutes in China Report Increases in Rice Yields and Area under SRI

  According to Weijian Zhang, from the Institute of Crop Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing, the area in China using System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methods will exceed 900,000 hectares in 2012, up from 700,000 in 2011 and 200,000 in 2007. CNRRI officials further reported that SRI usually achieves 8 to 11 tons per hectare in China, higher than the national average of 6.6 tons, or the world average of 4.4 tons per hectare. Zhu Defeng, a principal scientist at the Hangzhou-based China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) added that SRI is becoming the main rice cultivation system in most of southern China.(See article in the Thailand Business News for details).

• Chinese SRI Research Articles Compiled by SRI-Rice Center

  SRI-related research carried out over the past decade in China has been collected by the SRI-Rice Center and made available on our website. While many the articles we found are written entirely in Chinese, we have translated the titles, authors and abstracts of many of those without English metadata in order to make them accessible to a wider audience. As of March 2012, articles are available online in 1) a chronological listing and 2) a searchable China SRI RefWorks database. The bulk of the 86 articles listed in both sources are accessible online. While full text versions of much of the peer-reviewed literature cannot be accessed without subscription, the abstracts of most are available through the China RefWorks database (Click on the magnifying glass icon to see the extended view of the metadata, which includes abstracts, urls and other information).

• Agricultural Water Savings with Modified SRI Practices in Sichuan, China

  SRI has become Sichuan Province's preferred rice production method since 2005, with reports of the provincial yield record for rice being broken year after year. By 2010, the SRI area in Sichuan Province had reached over 301,067 ha, starting from 1,133 ha in 2004. SRI methods are currently used in 123 of its 130 rice-growing counties. According to researchers at the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the average SRI yield has been 9.5 t/ha, representing an average increase of 1.8 t/ha over conventional rice cultivation in the province. The value of additional paddy yield per hectare using SRI methods in 2010 was worth USD 185 at current exchange rates, achieved with lower costs of production. For Sichuan province as a whole, the value of the additional paddy produced was over USD 100 million. For the period 2004-10, the total additional benefit of using SRI methods in Sichuan was almost USD 320 million at the current rate of exchange, accompanied by reduced costs and less requirement of water.

  Agriculture consumes 80% of the total water resources in Sichuan Province, which has a population of 88.6 million. A recent article by Zheng Jia-guo and his colleagues the the Crop Research Institute, SAAS, Chengdu, details how they are adapting SRI to conserve water in that province as well as how this may change in the future. With modified SRI practices, both WUE (Water Use Efficiency) and IWUE (Irrigation Water Use Efficiency) were shown to be higher than with the traditional practices, by 54.2% and 90.0%, respectively, significantly reducing water consumption.

  In addition to reducing irrigation water by 25.6% and seed requirements by 50-90%, the modified SRI practiced in Sichuan has shown a number of other benefits, such as increased leaf area index (LAI), larger plants, and fewer insect and disease problems. Over the years, SRI methods in Sichuan have been adapted in several ways: 1) a triangular planting pattern (15-18 plants/m2), which is more effective with the lower solar radiation in that area of China, 2) a combination of mulching and herbicides that replaces hand and mechanical weeding (due to labor considerations), 3) slightly older seedlings (greater than the usual 2-leaf stage) that fit better into the seasonal planting pattern and 4) inorganic fertilizers mixed organic fertilizers due to low availability of biomass. The mulching also assists in water retention, making fields more drought-resistant. The changing structure of the rural labor force may lead to additional changes in the future, particularly with regards to mechanization.

2010

• Report on SRI Modifications in Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems in China

  Dr. Weijian Zhang in the Institute of Crop Science in the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences has reported on 2010 results from making adaptations, according to SRI principles, in the rice-wheat rotational cropping system that is practiced widely in China and in parts of South Asia.  

  Trials in three locations in Jiangsu Province have showed increases in yield averaging 25%, comparing the Institute's innovative dry-seeding method on permanent raised beds, with the results from standard wet-seeding methods used in the region. The production methods are mechanized to save labor, and there are significant water savings from the modified practices. These are intended to reduce methane emissions and thus to lower greenhouse gas buildup. Dr. Zhang hopes that this methodology can be evaluated and used more widely in Asia for the combined benefits for agriculture and environmental protection. (See report.)

• Review of SRI Status and Experience at Hangzhou Workshop

  The China National Rice Research Institute hosted an international SRI workshop (right) in Hangzhou, February 28-March 2, with support from The Asia Foundation, which was participated in by researchers from different parts of China, by rice specialists from the DPRK, and by Norman Uphoff, representing the international SRI community. Representatives of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), two NGOs working with cooperatives in the DPRK, also attended and discussed their activities for introducing SRI in that country in collaboration with farming cooperatives and government agencies. A report prepared by Uphoff focuses mostly on the Chinese reports as these were the main body of experience reviewed.

  Dr. Zhu Defeng, deputy director of CNRRI and host for the workshop, gave an overview of SRI in China, noting which practices were most widely or easily adopted, some of which were in line with directions in which rice crop management was already moving in China. He presented data showing how N fertilizer is being overused, with low marginal productivity. One evaluation showed SRI methods adding 1.73 t/ha to already high yields.

  Dr. Ma Guohui, deputy director of the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center based in Hunan Province, in south central China, reported on the use of SRI methods with hybrid rice varieties. Researchers at the Center have made several adaptations of the original SRI recommendations for Chinese conditions, and Center staff have recommended most of the SRI practices when introducing hybrid varieties in African countries. (see Guinea page).  In China, hybrid rice yields with SRI methods have often been over 12 t/ha.

  Experience with SRI in Sichuan Province in the western part of China was reported by Dr. Zheng Jiaguo in the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Dr. Ma Jun at Sichuan Agricultural University, who have given leadership for SRI since 2001. Both spoke about the 'triangular' method of seedling transplanting which was developed in Sichuan, maintaining the effects of 'wide spacing' but also increasing plant population by 50% over what it would be with a square transplanting of single seedlings per hill. Both Zheng and Ma presented extensive data from previous evaluations of SRI methods, summarized in Uphoff's report. Since extension of SRI was begun in 2004 by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA), with 1,120 ha, the PDA reports that 657,000 ha have been cultivated in the province with an average yield increase of 1.64 t/ha, which has added 1.04 million tons of paddy to Sichuan farmers' production, with less cost and less water.

  Experience in Zhejiang Province in the eastern part of China was reported by Dr. Lin Xianqing from the China National Rice Research Institute. Like Zheng and Ma, Lin presented results from a considerable number of CNRRI evaluations of SRI methods, looking at effects like impact on light interception, resistance to sheath blight infection, and impact of organic fertilization on populations of actinomycetes. The Zhejiang PDA, Lin reported, has recorded 688,000 hectares of paddy land cultivated with SRI methods since 2005. The average yield increment of 1.25 t/ha that the PDA has calculated has added 862,000 tons to the province's production, all with a reduction in costs and water as in Sichuan.

  There were two reports also from Heilongjiong Province in the North. The climate there is fairly similar to that in DPRK, so this interested the delegation from the neighboring country. A system of rice cultivation very similar to SRI, known as 3-S, developed at Northeast Agricultural University in the 1990s for Heilongjiong conditions, was mentioned but more attention was given to mechanization of rice production, which is the big push in that province now. The presentation on Heilongjiong rice production (in English) is posted along with the others from the workshop.

  SRI evaluations are just getting started in DPRK, but after some initial trials in 2008, four cooperatives collaborating with the AFSC used many of the SRI practices on a total area of 250 hectares, so it has been seen that the methods can be productive under North Korean conditions.

• Presentation on SRI at International Workshop on Sustainable Food and Agriculture in Beijing

  An international workshop convened at Renmin University March 12-15, 2010, addressing problems and opportunities for sustainable food and agricultural development included two presentations on SRI under the heading of "water-saving technologies."

  Uwe Hoering from Germany reported on experiences with the implementation of SRI in Cambodia (see article), followed by a presentation by Lu Shihua from China, who presented results from SRI applications in Sichuan Province. Rice production there is marked by seasonality in rainfall, a shortage of cultivable land, and periodic droughts. The low productivity of rice farming and high costs of fertilizer have led many farmers into poverty.

  In Sichuan, many farmers now often utilize a 'triangular method' of transplanting young rice seedlings in their SRI practice, reducing by half the number of hills per unit area (with 35x40 cm spacing) compared to usual SRI (25x25 cm), <8 vs. 16 plants per m2 - but plant three plants per hill instead of just one, the plants spaced 10-12 cm apart in a triangular relationship. Lu has himself combined this modification with the use of plastic sheets as mulch to restrict weeds and enhance soil humidity. This results in considerable water saving.

  According to Lu Shihua, the spread of this successful adaptation to local conditions is hampered by lack of cooperation between different agricultural experts and limited support from agricultural extension services. But farmers too are reluctant, because they mistrust experts, being risk averse, and also because overall net income from grain is not very favorable, making them reluctant to take up extra efforts. These adaptations have contributed to a rice crop that is quite profitable even under drought conditions (see Sichuan drought resistance section below).

• Review of SRI Progress in Sichuan Province

  A seminar convened January 18, 2010, at the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Chengdu, considered the impact that introducing SRI methods has had on rice production and productivity in this large rice-producing province. The session was organized and chaired by Dr. Zheng Jiaguo, Director of the Crop Cultivation Department of the SAAS Crop Research Institute.

  Liu Daiyin, head of SRI extension efforts in the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture, reported that these efforts -- started in 2004 with 1,120 ha -have led to 637,000 ha being cultivated with SRI methods over the past five years. In 2009, there were 251,000 ha under SRI management in Sichuan, with SRI methods used in 103 of its 130 rice-growing counties.The PDA calculates that:

  • the average SRI yield over the five-year period on this total areas has been 9.2 t/ha, representing an average increase of 1.63 t/ha over rice cultivation in the province with current methods,
  • SRI methods have added 1.04 million tons of rice production over the five years, without additional costs of production and with substantial water savings, and
  • the average increase in farmer net income/ha when using SRI methods is calculated at RMB 1,903 ($280 at current exchange rates).

  Prof. Ma Jun from Sichuan Agricultural University reported on the introduction of SRI methods into the widely-used cropping system of wheat-rice rotation, where reducing seedling age makes for less time between crops and is more convenient for farmers. (see CAAS evaluations of SWRI).

  One SRI innovation in Sichuan Province is combining SRI practices (young single seedlings, wide spacing in a square pattern, reduced water applications) with the use of plastic mulch on permanent raised beds. This methodology, which conserves soil moisture as it suppresses weeds, is giving very good results in hill and mountain areas where water is a limiting factor and where small farmers have the labor needed to manage the mulching.

  The innovation is less suitable for the lower-lying, better-watered Sichuan Basin with larger holdings and more labor scarcity. It is reported that this combination of practices can give farmers even higher yield and net income in a drought year than in a year with more normal rainfall (see summary of drought-related articles). As fertility of raised beds should raise over time, future results could be even better.

  Another innovation being developed in Sichuan is the ratooning of SRI rice. Given the growth of larger and deeper root systems on SRI rice plants, that they would ratoon (grow a second crop without replanting, from the same root stock as was harvested for a first crop) better than conventionally-grown rice. The range for this practice is limited by climate, but in southern Sichuan, SRI ratoon yields of 50% to 70% are now reported.

1999-2009

• FOR 1999-2009 SRI ACTIVITES, see SRI CHINA ARCHIVES

Reports and Articles

• Li, Zhong. 2012. The system of rice intensification (SRI) is gaining ground in Asia. Thai Business News, May 15.
• Zheng, Jia-guo, Zhou Li, Chi Zhong-zhi, and Jiang Xin-lu. 2011. Agricultural Water Savings Possible through SRI for Future Water Management in Sichuan, China. System of Rice Intensification website. (10p. 357KB pdf) [Authors are from the Tillage and Cultivation Research Center, Crop Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China]
• Zhang, Weijian and Ming Lu. 2010. Innovational Rice-Wheat Cropping System for higher yield with lower emissions in China, based on the concepts of SRI. System of Rice Intensification website. (5p., 678KB pdf). [Report by Institute of Crop Science, CAAS, China]
• Uphoff, Norman. 2010. Report on workshop on the System of Rice Intensification, Exchanging Experience in China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Internationally - Hangzhou, China, February 28-March 2, 2010. System of Rice Intensification website. (25p., 358KB pdf). [Trip report for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development]
• Hoering, Uwe. 2010. Reisanbau in China: Uphoffs Hoffnung. Globespotting blog. March. (in German)
• Weijian, Zhang and Jian Liu. 2008. System of wheat-rice intensification (SWRI) with conservation farming in Jiangsu Province, China. Centre for Agro-ecology and Farming Systems, and Institute of Yanjiang Agricultural Science. System of Rice Intensification website (2p. pdf)
• Uphoff, Norman. 2007. Report on a visit to China to review SRI progress. System of Rice Intensification website. August 9-18. (23p. pdf) [Trip report for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development]
• Xiuli, Xu, Li Xiaoyun and Li He. 2006. 水稻强化栽培体系的经济影响评估∗— 来自四川省简阳市新胜村的案例研究. China Rural Economics. March. (11p.) [Social-economic impact analysis of SRI in China]
• Uphoff, Norman T. 2005. Report of field visits in Zhejiang and Sichuan Provinces, China. System of Rice Intensification website. July 28-August 3. (6p. pdf) [Trip report for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development]
• Jiaguo, Zheng et al. 2004. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) for super-high yields of rice in the Sichuan Basin. Paper presented at the 4th International Crop Science Congress, September 26 - October 1, in Brisbane, Australia. www.cropscience.org.au
• Uphoff, Norman T. 2004. Report from SRI China visit. System of Rice Intensification website. February 22-28. (13p. pdf). [Trip report for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development]
• Uphoff, Norman T. 2004. Report on visit to China for review of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) activities and progress. System of Rice Intensification website. August 21-September 11. (24p. pdf) [Trip report for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development]
• Uphoff, Norman T. 2002. Report on SRI effort in China. System of Rice Intensification website. August 21-September 11. (24p. pdf) [Trip report for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development]
• Yuan, L. P. 2002. A scientist's perspective on experience with SRI in China for raising the yields of super hybrid rice. Paper presented at the international conference Assessments of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), April 1-4, in Sanya, China.
• Qingquan, Yan. 2002. The System of Rice Intensification and its use with hybrid rice varieties in China. Paper presented at the international conference Assessments of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), April 1-4, in Sanya, China.
• (see additional articles in Research and Evaluations section below)

Research and Evaluations

• Research articles about SRI in China (in English and Chinese) - includes article by Chinese authors on other parts of the world
• The China RefWorks database has 86 research articles
  -> Click on the magnifying glass icon at right of each article to access abstract and url
  -> To see the RefWorks database for ALL countries, see the research search box at the top right of this page.

National and International SRI Workshops and Meetings in China

• Workshop on the System of Rice Intensification - Exchanging Experience in China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Internationally (see associated PowerPoints)
  Organized and hosted by the China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI), with support from The Asia Foundation.
  Hangzhou, China, February 28-March 2, 2010
• China National SRI Workshop
  Organized by China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI)
  Hangzhou, China, March 2-3, 2003
• International Conference on Assessments of the System of Rice Intensification
  Organized by CNHRRDC and CIIFAD
  Sanya, China, April 1-4, 2002

PowerPoint Presentations

(Notes: Click here to see all SRI China presentations on slidehare.net. Transcripts are at the bottom of each presentation. There is a "full screen" button at the lower right corner of the presentation to enlarge the presentation. If you have trouble viewing the slideshow, make sure you have Flash installed and JavaScript enabled.

• 2010. PowerPoint presentations given at the Workshop on the System of Rice Intensification, Exchanging Experience in China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Internationally, held February 28-March 2, 2010, in Hangzhou, China;
• • The progress of SRI in super hybrid rice
    Ma Guohui, Deputy DG and Professor, China National Hybrid Rice R & D Center (CNHRRDC). 41 slides
  • System of Rice Intensification in China
    Zhu Defeng, China National Rice Research Institute. 80 slides
  • Evaluation of key factors of SRI method
    Dr. Lin Xianqing, China National Rice Research Institute. 47 slides
  • Study and utilization of the SRI technology for super high yield in Sichuan
    Ma Jun, Sichuan Agricultural University. 37 slides
  • Modified SRI and super-high yield of hybrid rice in Sichuan Basin
    Jia-guo Zheng, Xin-lu Jiang, and Zhong-zhi Chi Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. 57 slides.
  • Super high- yielding rice cultivation techniques in cold region: Heilongjiong Province
    Jin Zhengxun, Northeast Agricultural University Haerbin. 38 slides.
  • 2006. Non-flooding rice farming technology in irrigated paddy field China National Rice Research Institute
    - PowerPoint presentation by Dr. Tao Longxing, China National Rice Research Institute. 27 slides
  • 2004. Development of SRI for rice production in China
    - PowerPoint presentation given by Zhu Defeng on behalf of the China National Rice Research Institute at a workshop on SRI, held at the World Rice Research Conference, Tsukuba, Japan, November 7, 2004. 61 slides
  • 2004. What is being learned about SRI in China and other countries
    - PowerPoint by Norman Uphoff, Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development, presented at the CIIFAD CAWG-MOIST Seminar at Cornell University, Sept. 15, 2004 . 88 slides
  • Sichuan PDA SRI report. 33 slides.
  • 2004. The 3S rice management system
    - pdf file of PowerPoint presentation; This system is similar in many ways to SRI -- developed by Prof. Jin Xueyong, Northeast Agricultural University, for cold northern climates (Heilungjiong Province, Northern China). 13 slides.