Sustainable Rice Farming: Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential with System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

Traditional rice-growing practices in Nigeria contribute to water scarcity and greenhouse gas
emissions. Continuous flooding of rice fields leads to inefficient water use and exacerbates
environmental problems, including methane emissions and climate change. There is an urgent
need to switch from these conventional practices to more sustainable alternatives, such as the
System of Rice Intensification (SRI). Research shows that SRI offers significant advantages over
conventional rice cultivation. It improves water-use efficiency by promoting intermittent
irrigation and aerobic soil conditions, thereby reducing methane emissions and increasing rice
yields. SRI practices contribute to environmental sustainability while improving farmers’
livelihoods and food security. The policy brief proposes concrete recommendations to facilitate
the adoption and scaling-up of SRI practices in Nigeria, such as policy support, financial
incentives, capacity building, research and development, as well as monitoring and evaluation
mechanisms

Read More: AfCAP-Rice-Policy-Brief