CCPur, November 24 2009: One day District level experience sharing workshop on System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was held at Synod Hall, here today which was jointly organised by Rural Aid Service (RAS) and Relief & Development Department of Evangelical Association of Churches (EAC) under the sponsorship of Rongmei Naga Baptist Association (RNBA).

Speaking as the chief guest of the workshop, K Thangsang, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) stressed on the need for the adoption of new method of rice cultivation in order to yield more produces.

He said that the state is importing tons of rice from outside.

He urged the farmers to adopt new method of rice cultivation such as System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which is yielding more produces.

He also dwelt on the best use of limited land.

He said, right step and new method of cultivation technology should be adopted so as to ensure more productivity.

He said the awareness on new technology should also be reached to all end users.

Two farmers-Seimang of M Lhahvom village and Lalruotlien of Khawpibung village-were also honoured on the occasion in recognition of their achievement in producing the highest amount of food stocks.

A slide presentation on the implementation of SRI was displayed to the farmers.

It may be recalled here that System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a new method of paddy cultivation was developed in the highlands of Madagascar in the 1980s by Jesuit Priest, Father Henri de Lau Anis and has been tried and proved successful since 1999 .

The same has been adopted now in more than 45 countries.

In India, SRI was first implemented in the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

It is a system of growing rice.

Some value associated with SRI practices are less seeds, less labour, less water and fewer external input.

As a pilot project, Rural Aid Service (RAS) - an NGO based at Tuiboung - has been implementing SRI for the first time in Churachandpur district in 2009 under the sponsorship of RNBA/SDTT Mumbai and it has been successfully proven.

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