Adopting the system of rice intensification (SRI) in Tanzania
The demand of water for irrigation purposes in
Tanzania outstrips the amount of water available
for irrigation and other demands. On the other
hand, the demand for more food to feed the
growing population is increasing, calling for the
need to have technologies and farming prac-
tices that ensure more food production while
minimizing water uses. Rice is among cereal
crops grown in Tanzania, and it can assist in
meeting the food demand for the nation. Majority
of rice producers in Tanzania and Sub-Saharan
Africa (SSA) are subsistence farmers and they
practice continuous flooding, a technique that
requires much water. In addition to using large
amounts of water, the conventional practices of
growing paddy using local varieties transplant-
ing process are implemented when seedlings
are more than 21 days old, and 3 – 4 seedlings
are transplanted in one hole. This practice re-
sults in low yields, and low water productivity
and water use efficiency.