The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a package of practices that changes how rice is grown in paddies, which incredibly increases yields. Rather than fully flooded paddy systems, SRI involves among its practices, the alternate wetting and drying of paddies which saves water, use of less seeds, wider crop spacing, transplanting one seedling per […]
KENYANS WANT MORE RICE The demand for rice in Kenya continues soar as more Kenyans show progressive changes in their eating habits, coupled with urbanization. Rice is currently the third most important cereal crop after maize and wheat. The national rice consumption is estimated at 300,000 metric tons compared to an annual production range of […]
In East Africa, rice farming faces various challenges mainly low soil fertility and environmental hazard due to low decomposition into compost and poor disposal of husks. Anaerobic conditions created under paddy rice systems cause poor decomposing rice straw residues, resulting in the emission of methane (Greenhouse gases-GHG). Excessive use of N-fertilizers leads to nitrous oxide emissions […]