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In the Gambia, 150 farmers in the Central River and Upper River regions have been made aware of and trained in the System of Intensive Rice Cultivation (SRI), an innovative methodology that increases crop productivity while reducing the use of inputs.

The System of Intensive Rice Cultivation (SRI) is a sustainable, climate-smart farming practice offering significant socio-economic benefits for farming families, businesses and consumers. The SRI methodology consists in investing optimally by using less seed, water, nutrients and reducing planting density, while achieving higher yields.

The capacity-building initiative took the form of awareness-raising and training sessions on SRI methodology in the rice fields of Janjanbureh (Nyantan Leh & Faraba Leh), Sankulay Kunda, Kose Mare, Sotuma Samba and Dampha Kunda. Each session, attended by 25 participants, was attended by over 60% women from local communities.

" The Gambia is highly dependent on imported rice, although the resources available to produce locally, such as land and labor, are significant. The country needs to be able to meet domestic demand for staple foods. The Gambian government is therefore committed to reversing this trend. Rice is one of the five priority value chains that the GIRAV project is addressing, which will help us move from subsistence to commercial scale," said Ms Ramatoulie Hydra Sanyang, Operations Manager of the GIRAV project, addressing participants at the various sites.

" SRI allows us to obtain higher yields by reducing inputs. With conventional rice production, 50 to 60 kg of seeds are used to cultivate one hectare, with an average yield of 2.5 to 3 tonnes. By contrast, with the SRI method, only 8 to 10 kg of seeds are needed for one hectare. The remaining seeds can be used to feed the family or generate income," she continued.

Towards Commercial Agriculture** (in French)

" Rice is one of the five priority value chains of the GIRAV project. The Gambian government and the World Bank want to see our agricultural system move from subsistence to commercial farming. This is why the project is investing in the promotion of SRI. By adopting SRI and agricultural advisory services, we will be able to become self-sufficient in rice, while creating a surplus to sell and generate wealth," continues Ms Ramatoulie Hydra Sanyang. 

During the training sessions, Modou Sabally, Seed Officer at the National Seed Secretariat, emphasized the importance of seed quality in increasing productivity and socio-economic growth. He reminded participants that adopting the SRI method of seed production would quickly bring significant improvements to their livelihoods. Modou Sambou, a retired agronomist and SRI master trainer, stressed the need for farmers to adopt the SRI method to achieve rice self-sufficiency. He explained that SRI follows four key principles that deliver significantly higher crop yields while reducing inputs and greenhouse gas emissions.