Reducing GHG emission through system of crop intensification in South Odisha by MrPrabhakar Adhikari

Dear Sir/Madam

As per your suggestions and comments, we have incorporated the following information for your kind perusal.

• SRI is better approach than other solutions as SRI is an innovative technology that can enhance production with less input like seeds, water, labour and through organic practices. It can increase production by 60-70 % which will ensure food security of the small farm dependent families and also generate surplus, enabling farmers to increase farm income.SRI is resistant to climatic stress due to its stronger root systems. The details can refer to proposal summary.
• The proposed project aims to reduce GHG emission through scaling up System of Rice Intensification for 10,000 farmers. Pragati, Koraput will facilitate a research for tracking and monitoring GHG emission in SRI with the winning grant. Research will be conducted in selected plots involving the research institutions like Cornell University which has significant contribution in spreading the SRI technology to different corners of the world. The research is needed to generate evidence base to sensitize the farmers, policy makers and line departments so that they get aware of the impact of GHGs in rice production and take appropriate action to address the concern.
• The current set of activities are necessary to scale up SRI as there are no  promotional programmes for reaching out to the farmers. Without the promotional aspect it will be difficult to take up the research component. The promotional aspects of the project like providing critical inputs, trainings, establishment of agro service centre will be implemented with the support mobilised from Tata Trusts, IRRI and other donors, bank linkages. The research component of the project will be  taken up with the winning grant.    
• The project will address the gender inequities in agriculture especially in rice production by enhancing their knowledge and skills on improved practices for adoption of SRI, increasing their access to drudgery reduction equipments and by sharing of farm operations between men and women.   
• The budget amount exceeds the award amount as the project has a holistic approach to promote SRI to facilitate a research to track and monitor GHG emission which has a long term impact. We have mobilised resources from other agencies for the promotional activities where as the research aspects will be covered under the award grant.
• We have already mobilised resources for promotion of SRI for 5000 farmers in the 1st year. We will utilize the award for the research component to establish an evidence base to sensitize the farmers, Government line departments and policy makers who are mostly left out from the outcomes of the research programmes.

            We are proposing for a pilot to track and monitor GHG emissions in 100 ha of farmers lands in selected plots. Once the evidence base is established the findings can be shared with the stakeholders to mobilise for policy level changes to scale up SRI keeping in view the context of climate change and reducing GHG emissions of inundated method of rice cultivation.

I hope this will help you to consider our proposal for the benefit of small and marginal farmers in climate resilient farming systems.

With regards,

Yours sincerely,

Prabhakar Adhikari