By Solomon Gumah
Botanga (N/R), Dec 27, GNA – The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) has held a day’s visit for farmers at Botanga in the Kumbungu District to showcase its System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technology and potentials of recently released Rice Varieties.
The field day was to determine the efficiency, and the benefits of the SRI technology introduced to the farmers in the area as part of efforts to scale up resilient rice production practices in the country.
The SRI technology operates on four principles, which include applying compost to the soil, transplanting young seedlings as early as 14-15 days, transplanting in lines, to facilitate the use of weeders and the alternative wetting and drying to help control and conserve water.
The technology was demonstrated in two fields involving the usual farmers’ practices of rice cultivation and the SRI technology to determine their production and onward adoption.
The field day was part of the implementation of the RICOWAS project in 13 West African countries, including Ghana.
The project, funded by the Adaptation Fund, and supported by the Observatoire Du Sahara Et Du Sahel Sahara and Sahel Observatory, seeks to strengthen human and institutional capacity in climate-resilient rice production, assist farmers to implement and scale up climate resilient rice production practices, and support a communication platform and engage in advocacy to promote efficient exchange of knowledge and expertise among diverse stakeholder groups in West Africa and beyond.
It covers seven regions in Ghana including Northern, Upper East, Savannah, Volta, Oti, Western North and the Ashanti.
Mr Alex Yeboah, Acting Head, Rice Improvement Programme at CSIR-SARI, speaking during the field visit, said the project was to assist farmers and all actors to scale up the SRI technology and the climate-resilient rice production whilst strengthening community advocacy and partnership in Ghana for increased rice production and food security.
He said as part of efforts to cope with the changing climatic conditions, the CSIR-SARI had released and introduced climate-resilient rice varieties and made them available through its participatory varietal selection initiative to enhance their adoption.
These rice varieties, namely CSIR-Banse Rice, which takes three months to mature, CSIR-Gbewaa Red, CSIR-Savannah Rice and CSIR-Malimali Rice, were also put under demonstration together with the SRI demonstration field.
Mr Yeboah appealed to government and other stakeholders to invest more in the SRI technology and promote the recently released varieties to enhance rice production and food security in the country.
The farmers’ feedback during the demonstration highlighted their strong desire to embrace SRI technology and their willingness to cultivate varieties on a large scale.
Madam Asana Ibrahim, a farmer at the Botanga Irrigation Scheme, testified that SRI technology was the best approach to empowering vulnerable households to achieve food security and to meet financial obligations.
She appealed for support in the area of machinery to help in the transplanting processes to promote efficiency and productivity.
GNA