Hybrid rice in SRI to boost rice production in Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali with support from CORAF through the FSRP

With climate change and declining yields undermining rice production in several regions of West Africa, CORAF is banking on a bold solution: the dissemination of hybrid irrigated rice varieties combined with the practice of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). Commissioned by CORAF, the consortium formed by IER (Mali), INERA (Burkina Faso) and ISRA (Senegal) is implementing this regional initiative with support from the World Bank, as part of the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP). It aims to address the dual challenge of food insecurity and declining agricultural yields in the countries where the project is being implemented.

 

Local solutions to intensify rice production

 

The project is being implemented in three key areas: the Niono area in Mali, the Senegal River Delta area in Senegal and the Farako-Bâ area in Burkina Faso. It combines demonstrations in farming communities, the production of hybrid rice seeds and technical training, with the aim of transforming rice production in West Africa.

 

“Intensive rice cultivation systems (SRI), combined with hybrid irrigated rice varieties, appear to be a solution for strengthening the resilience of agricultural systems in Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso. We want to boost yields and are currently distributing two hybrid rice varieties – ISRI 9 and Mayun 1 – combining spaced transplanting, compost and controlled irrigation,” explains Dr Omar NDAO FAYE, Director of the Agricultural Research Centre in Saint-Louis, Senegal.

 

Conducting demonstrations in farming communities

 

In Senegal, teams from CORAF, ISRA, researchers and producers met from 14 to 17 July 2025 in Fanaye and Savoigne in northern Senegal to follow up on this innovative approach. The initial results on the demonstration plots are encouraging: significantly higher tillering compared to usual practices, improved plant vigour, reduced use of seeds and chemical inputs, and increased resistance to water stress.

 

“Tillering was greater in plots under SRI combined with hybrid varieties. This technique has led to savings on seed and fertiliser purchases. In Savoigne, soil salinity is a limiting factor that must be taken into account when implementing SRI practices. Salt-tolerant and/or lodging-resistant varieties will therefore be added to the SRI technology package,” explains Dr Omar NDAO FAYE.

 

“We are counting on ISRA and related services to build capacity so that farmers can master and effectively implement this agricultural practice,” insists Mamadou Niang, a rice farmer in Savoigne.

 

Seed production and large-scale adoption

 

Beyond the agronomic results, this project is part of a systemic transformation process. Seed production is another important pillar of this initiative. Local seed companies are involved in this initiative to multiply hybrid seed varieties in accordance with harmonised regional seed regulations. The ultimate goal is to guarantee access to high-quality seeds adapted to local agroclimatic conditions.

 

“This initiative to disseminate hybrid rice varieties irrigated using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali is a lever for adaptation to climate change, but also a source of hope for young people in rural areas,” says Dr Fatou DIENG GUEYE, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at CORAF.

 

The intensive rice cultivation system is based on simple but effective practices: using fewer seeds, spacing plants further apart, enriching the soil with compost, resulting in more vigorous plants, more tillers and higher yields with fewer resources. The combined use of SRI practices and hybrid rice varieties should improve yields to between 8 and 10 tonnes per hectare, compared to yields of 4 to 6 tonnes per hectare using conventional methods. This initiative is part of a broader effort by CORAF, through the FSRP, to make high-performance varieties available to producers and increase agricultural yields in Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. It is essential to strengthen the capacities of local producers and seed companies and to structure the hybrid rice seed sector in West Africa in a sustainable manner for the large-scale dissemination and adoption of these innovations

 

Article source: https://fsrp.araa.org/en/news/hybrid-rice-sri-boost-rice-production-senegal-burkina-faso-and-mali-support-coraf-through-fsrp