Prospects

The research findings identify new sources of growth in rice output in The Gambia. These findings are based on scientific approaches different from those on which conventional rice production is based. The findings give scope for great optimism, suggesting that massive growth in rice productivity can be attained through three major sources. Namely, the intensification of production in currently cultivated lands, reduction of production costs as a result of improved water, nutrient, and biological management, and the expansion of area under cultivation as a result of more attractive incentives in the form of higher yields and higher net returns from applied inputs.

Farmers in The Gambia visit the first SRI trial ever conducted in Africa outside of Madagascar,

at The Gambia’s National Agricultural Research Institute in Sapu

Policies in The Gambia and Sahel region regarding extensification of irrigation schemes is to a great extend influenced by the amount of water available to support production, taking into consideration the massive demand of current production systems. In the more arid regions of the Sahel rivers are already failing to fully support irrigation schemes. SRI has the potential to increases water-use efficiency. Rice is grown under SRI with less water. Prospects are that farmers will start utilizing one or two SRI components in their production systems and reaping its benefits. However some fundamental factors will limit utilizing several or all SRI components effectively.

Future Research

1). Quantifying microbial development with SRI management

2). The impact of compost use over time

3). Long term experiments with the following:

a). Water control

b). Quantify water-use efficiency

c). P and K as well as micronutrients

d). Organic matter inputs such legumes

4). Quantifying rate mineralization over time

return to home page