Transforming livelihood through innovative agricultural reform : an insight into the adoption of system of rice intensification (SRI) in Nepal

Abstract

This study explains the ability of ground-breaking rice cultivation practice known as System of Rice Intensification (SRI). SRI is allowing Nepalese farmers to double not only the rice production but also to prove that the Nepalese farmers can adopt the agricultural technique and practices despite few obstacles on the way. SRI is high-yielding low input rice cultivation method that can increase rice yields. The result from the field visit shows that SRI can yield two-three times higher as compared to the traditional system of rice production in Morang district .The claims of improved livelihood only through SRI remain controversial due to widespread dis-adoption in some contexts. So, the study tries to understand whether SRI adoption has any impact on the welfare of villagers. The literature review shows that SRI, on the one hand, has improved the livelihood of poor farmers. On the contrary, one cannot deny the fact that SRI demands more investment i.e. more labor and machinery for large-scale cultivation. With the assistance of Agriculture service center, the study thus proceeded in three steps: qualitative questionnaire survey with the 35 farmers of Govindapur Village of Koshi Haraincha and Lohasur Village of Motipur VDC of Morang District. The second step involved the focused group discussion (FGD) among the villagers of Koshi Haraincha followed by the selected SRI Key Informant Interviews. The second and third phases of research method i.e. focused group discussion and key informant interviews test the consistency of sampling population i.e. the farmers’ response and the view gathered from the respondents of focused group discussion and key informant interview respectively. The design of this intervention allowed us to check validity and data triangulation respectively. This study explores how the adoption of SRI has influenced the livelihood assets and how the availability of the asset has influenced adoption. Thus, the underlying premise of this study is the analysis of holistic perspective of how farmers have responded to the innovative agricultural reform in Govindapur Village of Koshi Haraincha Municipality and Lohasur Village of Motipur VDC respectively. From the field study on these two villages, it can be concluded that it is the access to physical and natural resources that determines the successful adoption of SRI technique for better livelihood. Govindapur village upon good access to resources has delivered good result on SRI practice than Lohasur village which lacks access to resources.

Keywords: SRI, Adoption, Dis-adoption, Livelihood, Innovation, Assets/Resources