C Shambu Prasad

This hand book on Indian science and technology was produced at the end of a project entitled “Science, Ethics and Technological Responsibility in Developing and Emerging Countries” (SET DEV) by Knowledge in Civil Society (KICS). The project aimed at:

• Activating processes of building institutional capacities and skills on science,ethics and STR socialization
• Defining and understanding perspectives of socialization of science and technology that take into consideration local needs in a multilateral dialogue.

The purpose of the survey is to reflect on the experiences of professionals, researchers, policy managers and farmers on dissemination and sustainability of SRI practices and principles. This survey seeks to build on the experience of SRI professionals to look at the future role of SRI on household food security and poverty reduction, the institutional framework to expand SRI. In addition, the extent to which soil health, water stress, adoption/dis-adoption and capacity building issues have been accommodated within SRI policy will also be explored. 

It begins with this overview chapter which provides the basics of SRI for the uninitiated apart from situating the productivity of rice within the All India context reiterating the case for SRI. The report highlights the efforts of the department and provides information on the costs of cultivation at the state farm and reported yield increase in different demonstration plots.

The report is divided into four parts. Part I speaks about the overall context of rice cultivation in Orissa (of which Nuakhai is a part) and the crying need for change by most actors involved. In part II the background of SRI in India is sketched broadly and in part III the SRI work in Orissa is situated within the overall context of rice in the state.