Post-ICWRMIP: Additional 53 Thousand Hectares of SRI Rice Field

In the 2010-2014 period, Directorate General of Agricultural Infrastructure, Ministry of Agriculture, has expanded rice plantation using a method of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) to 56,960 hectares of land in 3 districts, namely Bandung, Subang and Karawang.

Photo caption: Aming Bunyamin, a farmer facilitator in Telagamulya Village, Telagasari Sub-district, shows SRI rice plant (31/01/2012).

This was told by Dra Kartining Saddewi Budi, M.Si, the section head of Identification and Analysis at the Sub-Directorate of Optimum Land Management during a coordination meeting with the Integrated Citarum Water Resources Management and Investment Program (ICWRMIP) in Bandung (15/01/14).

“During the 2009-2011 period, the Ministry of Agriculture through ICWRMIP Program completed an SRI development project on 3,000 hectares of land in the District of Bandung, Subang and Karawang. However, following the completion of this program, by using the State Budget (APBN) fund, the Ministry of Agriculture expects to expand the program to additional 53,960 hectares of land in those 3 districts in a period between 2011 and 2014,” said Saddewi. She said that during this period total expansion of SRI land coverage in Indonesia is expected to reach 400,000 hectares.

The Ministry of Agriculture has also prepared Project Completion Report (PCR). The report will present summaries of all of the activities done by the ministry related to sub-component 2.1 program on Land and Water Management through SRI-Method Rice Plantation. The report also discusses evaluations on the impacts, both economically and socially. (Download Report: Project Completion Report SRI ICWRMIP 2013).

The procedure of rice planting by using SRI method is to practice rice cultivation by applying modification in treating plant, land, water and nutrients. The advantage of this SRI-method rice planting is the use of less seeds, a high production of crop, based on local wisdom and the consumption of less irrigated water. On Organic SRI method, land is cultivated by using natural substances and less chemical fertilizers, so that it can reclaim fertile farm land.

Based on the assessment of the impact of SRI technology application to farmers’ income, it is found that SRI farmers had a high production of rice crop in comparison to those using conventional method of planting, making the farmers gain higher income. Additionally, farmers will gain more revenue if they produce their own compost and utilize local microorganisms for fertilizer.

SRI ALLOCATION in 3 DISTRICTS: ICWRMIP and 2010-2014 APBN (State Budget)

Total land cultivated by SRI method reaches an area of 56,960 hectares in 3 Districts, namely Bandung, Subang and Karawang. Source: Directorate General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities, Ministry of Agriculture, 2014.

Photo caption: (Left) Dr.Ir.H Sumarjo Gatot Irianto, MS, DAA, Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure, crops rice symbolically in Tanjung Tiga Village- Subang (13/9/2011).

SRI ICWRMIP Program
Ministry of Agriculture through its Directorate General of Agricultural Infrastructure (PSP) is one of the 6 implementing ministries in ICWRMIP program whose funding is provided by loans and grants extended by Asian Development Bank (ADB).

ICWRMIP sub-component 2.1 program activity, which is one of the activities within the first phase of  ICWRMIP Program, was done by developing rice cultivation by using System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method over a land area of 3,000 hectares in 3 districts in West Java during 2009-2011 period.

In addition to planting rice by using SRI method, other program activities include: (1) Rehabilitation of Irigation Network at Rice Farming Level (JITUT) (2) Development of organic rice farming with the use of SRI method by applying components of: Training of Trainer (TOT) for facilitators, sosialization at farmers level, classroom training for farmers, field school, seeds supply support, facilitation, comparative studies, socialization at district level, workshop at provincial and national level plus supervision (3) Compost House development (4) Procurement of materials and supplies, including cows, organic fertilizer machines (APPO) and three-wheelers.

This program activity was joined by around 7,500 farmers who come from 150 farmer groups. SRI ICWRMIP Program was held by the Ministry of Agriculture in 3 districts, 12 sub-districts and 48 villages with following details:

1. Karawang District, Total land: 1,350 ha, 68 farmer groups :
(1) Kutawaluya Sub-district, 3 villages (2) Rengasdengklok Sub-district, 6 villages 
(3) Rawamerta Sub-district, 6 villages (4) Telagasari Sub-district, 5 villages (5) Majalaya Sub-district, 2 villages (6) Lemahabang Sub-district, 2 villages. Total: 6 sub-districts and 24 villages.

2. Subang Sub-district, Total land: 1,000 ha, 50 farmer groups:
(1) Blanakan Sub-district, 6 villages (2) Ciasem Sub-district, 5 villages.
Total  : 2 sub-districts and 11 villages.

3. Bandung District, Total land: 650 ha, 32 farmer groups:
(1) Bojongsoang Sub-district, 2 villages (2) Baleendah Sub-district, 4 villages (3) Ciparay Sub-district, 6 villages (4) Banjaran Sub-district, 1 village. Total : 4 sub-districts and 13 villages.