System of Rice Intensification (Sri) Adoption Challenges and Perspectives in the Context of Climate Change in Mali: A Case Study of Sélingué and Baguinéda Irrigated Schemes

Abstract

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was introduced in irrigated schemes in Mali, a decade ago, to increase rice production and address water scarcity challenges. However, since its introduction, no evaluation has been conducted. This study aimed to investigate the adoption level of the SRI principles, identify the factors determining its adoption or non-adoption and identify the technical, technological and managerial conditions enabling or hindering the application of the SRI principles in Baguinéda and Sélingué. A survey was conducted with 121 farmers from Baguinéda and Sélingué, supplemented by focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The first step of the data analysis consisted of using frequencies and percentages to determine the factors motivating or preventing SRI practices, and the different characteristics of SRI adopters versus nonadopters. In the second step, we investigated the relationship between SRI adoption and different factors using the Person’s Chi-square Test for independence and the Mann-Whitney U Test. Among the SRI four core principles, the most widely practiced in both schemes were wide spacing (92%) and single seedling (73%), while early age transplanting and alternate wetting and drying were practiced by only half of the adopters (42 – 52%). Except for the wide spacing, the other principles were applied more extensively in Baguinéda than in Sélingué. Overall, farmers in Baguinéda applied more principles and allocated more land to SRI than in Sélingué. The main motivations for adopting SRI were yield increase, seeds economy, increased tillering, improved grain quality, easy field work, fertilizer use efficiency, water use efficiency and rapid plant growth. The major constraints included high transplanting cost, increased requirements for labour, water control, knowledge, organic fertilizer, investment for land preparation, chemical fertilizer and a compelling agenda. The factors that determine SRI adoption were the education level (formal), gender, membership of a FBO, involvement with projects or NGOs, the way farmers discovered SRI, easy access to irrigation water, credit access, the size of the household, the total number of household labour, the number of females above fifteen years old, the total household members above fifteen years old, the size of the rice farm, the total land owned by the household and the equipment level. In addition, the infrastructural conditions of the irrigated schemes and their management play an important role in the adoption of the SRI. In this regard, the adoption of SRI is a complex dynamic and context specific. Therefore, strategies aiming at promoting the SRI in similar contexts, should not be limited to educating famers on how SRI works. Such strategies should rather include components addressing other aspects including biophysical, technical, technological and managerial environment.