1310 - Social compatibility of SRI

Social Compatibility of
SRI
J.M.P.N. Anuradha
Department of Agricultural Extension
Faculty of Agriculture
University of Peradeniya
“Sustained Adoption of
System of Rice
Intensification (SRI):
A Sri Lankan Perspective”

Outline
 Introduction
 Objectives
 Methodology
 Results and Findings
 Conclusion
 Recommendations
Sustained Adoption of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) : A Sri Lankan Perspective

Introduction
 The IDEA: 1998 - Prof. Norman Uphoff , Cornell
University - at a meeting of farmers in Gal Oya
 The INCEPTION: 2000 - Joeli Barison - arranged by
Prof. Uphoff and hosted by Dr. Gamini Batuwitage,
 Ever SINCE - Promoted among the communities in
many parts of the country, under several programs
and campaigns, led by governmental and non-
governmental agencies (esp. Oxfam-Australia and
Gemidiriya)

Introduction Contd…
 Immense efforts to promote SRI among the rural
communities in Sri Lanka,
The number of farmers who have adopted and
continued SRI, and
The number of farmers who have been trained on SRI
and further assisted through other support services
to facilitate the adoption process,
have been less than expected.

Specific Objectives of Study
Level of social compatibility of SRI within the
Sri Lankan context as perceived by the farmers
 Reasons behind the slow adoption and
diffusion of SRI in Sri Lanka as an innovation
from a psycho-social perspective

Specific Objectives of Study Contd…
 Develop a sustainable mechanism to promote
the diffusion and adoption of SRI by
addressing the psycho-social barriers along
with other economic, political, technical
and physical barriers that hinder the sustained
adoption of the method by the Sri Lankan farming
households.

Methodology
 Research design : Survey (cross-sectional)
 Sample size : 302 (10% of the population)
 Study area :
Hambanthota, Warakapola, Thambuththegama, Na
wagaththegama,, Rambukkana and Wanathawilluwa
 Strata – L1 : > 4 seasons with SRI
L2 : < 4 seasons with SRI
DO : Drop-outs
C : Control

Methodology Contd…
 Sampling Method : Respondents (stratified random
sampling) / Study area (purposive sampling;
climatic, geographical, social and economic
diversity)
 Primary data : Field questionnaire survey, key
informant discussions, case studies, and
observations
 Secondary data
 Data analysis – SPSS/ descriptive statistics

Results and Findings
Perceptions of SRI farmers in the different
adopter categories - on contemporary issues
related to farming paddy under SRI and how those
perceptions are related to the behavior shown by
respondents in adopting SRI - vary across the
population significantly.

Results and Findings Contd…
Reasons for applying SRI practices Reasons for not applying SRI practices
Prominent - Knowledge gained on the
importance of SRI through (a) training
programs and (b) the field officers/
mobilizers/ AIs affiliated to agencies
promoting SRI (avg. 60%).
Lack of knowledge (distinguishably L2)
Influence from family members Labour scarcity
Experience they have gained on the
importance/advantages of SRI from
their practice of SRI in their own fields
(distinguishable L1)
Contentment with their existing
practices
24 practices - 6 major principles

 Perceived economic benefits/ shifting point
The most The least
Income & cost (return on investment) Time
management;
SRI could save
time for other
economic
activities and
leisure with
family
Farmers just narrate
what they have been
told by the trainers
Farmers are not so
sensitive to price gains
compared to other benefits
preferred and sought
Shifting point - higher price gain (with increased
production) & the lower cost incurred / saving of time
to be involved in other economic activities

 Perceived shifting points – Economic/ Health & Envir. / Other
0
1
2
3
4
5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Value
Benefit
0
1
2
3
4
5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Value Benefit
0
1
2
3
4
5
1 2 3 4
Value
Benefit
L1
L2
DO

0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Value
Benefit
L1
L2
DO
Benefits key – 1 - Less pressure from the husband/wife, 2 - Less pressure from other family
members, 3 - Less pressure from colleagues, 4 - Less pressure from input suppliers, buyers
and other stakeholders of your business, 5 - Feeling less odd, but same like others 6 -
Feeling different and successful than others, 7 - Feeling proud, because others follow you
Shifting Point – Perceived social benefits

 Perceived environmental and health benefits:
 Less harm to the environment,
 Protecting environment
 Protecting biodiversity
 Protecting land for the next generation
 Generation of healthy food for the family
 Generation of healthy food for the community

 shifting point – Perceived envnt. & health benefits
L1 L2 DO
Healthy food
production to the
community
“Production of
healthy food to the
family/ community”
“Production of
healthy food to the
family”
Less harm to the
environment
Work well under
prevailing
environmental
conditions
Work well under
prevailing
environmental
conditions

 Shifting point – Other perceived benefits
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
1 2 3 4
Value
Benefit
L1
L2
DO
Benefits key – 1 - Readily available inputs, 2 - Readily available input
suppliers, 3 - Support and encouragement of the AI, 4 - Support and
encouragement of the mobilizer/specific individuals

Shifting point – Perceived benefits – Control group:
 Economic benefit - ability of the method to help
them save time to be involved in other economic
activities.
 Social benefit – the method should not make them
appear to be "odd farmers“
 Environmental and health benefit - opportunity to
produce healthy food to the family.
 Other - availability of input suppliers

Concluding Remarks and Suggestions
To enhance the rate of adoption of SRI by target rural
households in Sri Lanka:
 Conduct tailor-made awareness and training
programs supported by on-going face to face
advisory services
 Integrate innovation (SRI) with the socio-cultural
environment
 Link the attributes of the innovation (SRI) with the
needs of the recipients
 Create an enabling environment for decision-making
and growth.

Individual guidance –
Face-to-face extension
Until the farmers start
experiencing the
advantages directly
linked to their
preferences;
increased disposable
income
Hardly observable short-term tangible
benefits
Labour-intensive ; harder trial period
Demographic factors, i.e., educational
level of the farmers (analytical
decision-making)
Social factors, i.e., the pressure from
peers
Economic factors, i.e., fertilizer
subsidy, land ownership

 Tailor-made awareness and training programs:
 Unit of training should not be the individuals, but the
households of a selected community
 Changing the attitudes of the recipients on least-
perceived economic, social, environmental and health
and other benefits, while further strengthening the most-
perceived benefits by drawing examples from true cases.
 More emphasis on reaching a critical mass
 Participatory training approaches

 Trainers should be given periodical training on:
 Technical aspects of SRI
 Training on soft-skills
development, i.e., communication
 Training to develop the level of emotional
intelligence
 Training on network building and planning, etc.

 Creating an enabling environment:
 Create links with agricultural support service
providers, getting the recognition of the critical mass.
 Getting the state recognition through policy decisions
(political environment is very influential)
 Mass concern of the public towards the necessity of
changing the conventional agriculture system of Sri Lanka
 More R and D

L2 prefer
to feel
less odd
Social support - can
help farmers feel less
different at the initial
stage of the adoption
process
Empowerment -
entrepreneurial skills -
change attitudes toward
certain social norms that
hinder their livelihood
development.

Thank you!

1310 - Social compatibility of SRI

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