1. SDTT-SRI-PARTNERS MEET
21- 22 MARCH 2014

2. UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF PRAN
Topic
1 PRAN Overview
2 Bihar Overview: Target Population
3 System of Root Intensification
4 Technologies developed at PRAN
5 PRAN’s Accomplishments to Date
6 PRAN’s Partnerships: Government, NGO and Private Sector

3. PRAN
 PRAN is a public charitable trust formed under
Indian Trust Act 1882
 PRAN grew out of PRADAN, Gaya and became
an independent rural development organisation
in 2012

4. PRAN HISTORY
 Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BLRPS), Patna invited PRADAN
to pilot and scale up SRI-Paddy in Gaya and Nalanda Districts in 2007.
 PRADAN, Gaya led by Anil Verma devised prototype for effective scaling up
of activity 2007-2009, focusing on low cost and locally staffed organizational
design.Successfully piloted SDTT-DBI project in Gaya.
 SRI (System of Rice Intensification) became SRI (System of Root
Intensification) in Bihar with successful experiments in most of the crops
 Based on success of SRI in Gaya and Nalanda districts, 2011 Designated as
Official Year of SRI by Government of Bihar
 SRI Vidhi (as SRI is known locally) is gaining widespread acceptance
amongst farmers (especially marginal farmers) across Bihar.
 PRAN formed as an independent NGO out of PRADAN, Gaya in 2012
 ATMA (Gaya and Nalanda), and Government of Bihar along with PRADAN
and SDTT, Mumbai support PRAN’s Activities

5. PRAN’S SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
 Sir Dorabji Tata Trust
 Professional Assistance
for Development Action
(PRADAN)
 Livolink Foundation
 Agriculture Technology
Management Agency
 ITC Ltd.

6. BIHAR: SOME SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS
 Population 104 million
 Highest levels of poverty in India
 In 2010-2011 Lowest Net Domestic Product in
India
 26 Million are food insecure (many are farmers)
 Small and marginal farmers account for 93% of
all farmers
 Women perform majority of farm labor
 Average landholding size 3 acres (significant
below 1 acres)
 Agriculture employs 75% of the labor force

7. PROBLEMS OF SMALL AND
MARGINAL FARMERS OF BIHAR
 High rates of food insecurity and no cash availability
 Low productivity of major food security crops (rice, wheat).
• Average rice yield (Gaya): 1.6t/hec
• Average Wheat yield (Gaya):2t/hec
 Poor rain-fed and flood affected agriculture
 Very low Irrigation availability and lack of access to electricity; high
cost of diesel
 Poor and ineffective market infrastructure
 Weak agriculture supply chains especially for small and marginal
farmers
 Poor productivity of vegetable crops and insufficient processing
units
 Lack of support from government to poor and marginal farmers (SC

8. Executive Director
Project
Supervisor
Project Manager Project Manager
Office Assistant
Accounts
Manager
Information Systems
Manager
Project
Supervisor
Project
Supervisor
Technical Resource Team
Skilled
Extension
Workers
(SEW)
Skilled
Extension
Workers
(SEW)
Skilled
Extension
Workers
(SEW)
20 -40 Village
Resurce Persons
(VRP)
50 Farmers
per VRP
50 Farmers
per VRP
50 Farmers
per VRP
- Total PRAN Staff: 25
-Number of VRPs: 280
20 - 40 Village
Resource
Persons (VRP)
20 - 40 Village
Resource
Persons (VRP)
Project Leader / Executive

9. OPERATIONAL DISTRICTS

10. PROJECT BLOCKS IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS
Gaya Nalanda
Munger
11 Blocks in Gaya, 4 Blocks in
Nalanda and 2 BlockS in
Munger District

11. STRATEGIES
 Awareness generating in communities
 Use of audio-visual (SRI film) and flex extension
materials/manuals
 Campaigning in villages by old experienced SRI
farmers
 Village meetings by PRAN staff for awareness,
motivation and adoption
 Associating with Government Extension and Research
Programs ( ATMA, KVK, Research Institutions, etc)
 Organizing workshops of various stakeholders: Block,
district, State, Agricultural universities and others
 Participating in Kisan Melas

12. CAPACITY BUILDING FOR RURAL
DEVELOPMENT VILLAGE
RESOURCE PERSONS
The best practiceners identified
by
villagers and PRAN are trained
intensively in 3-4 phases
including:
 Motivational and Capacity
Building Training
 Technical Skills
 Learning by doing
 Repeated Engagement and
long-term partnerships

13. PRAN’S APPROACH
 Pro-poor Incentives to VRPs
 Weekly review and plan of operations
 Building on strengths in stakeholders
 Credit is to be given and not to be taken
 Collective ownership of successes and failures
 Giving priority to Emotional Quotient and minimal importance to
Intelligence Quotient
 Non-Negotiable - Maintaining Integrity at all levels
 Maintaining 75% motivational and 25% technical
 Panch S (satya,Samay,Seva,Sanskar and Samanta) and Panch J
(Jal,Jungle,Jameen,Janwar and Jan) (Principles of development in
to practice )

14. ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY THROUGH APPROPRIATE
TECHNOLOGIES: SYSTEM OF ROOT INTENSIFICATION (SRI)
 Low external inputs (seed, fertilizers, water, labor)
to make this within reach of resource poor
families.
 High productivity to provide sufficient food grains
to small and marginal farmers
 Sustainability (maintaining soil carrying capacity
for future generations)
Root is the mouth of the plant – keep
that healthy
Enhanced root volume and weight than normal
method
Assumptions behind SRI method
(different from green revolution in
the country)

15. PRINCIPLES OF SRI
1. Priming of seeds & planting material
2. Young age seedlings/sprouted seeds
3. Wider spacing
4. Single/Few/ seedlings/seeds
5. Use of Integrated Nutrient /organic/natural fertilizers
6. No standing water in field; keep soil moist
7. Interculture with weeders to aerate soil and improve root health
8. Surface sowing/transplanting
9. Providing space(pit) for roots to grow to maximum potential
10. Nutritional and microbial security to rhizosphere
11. Organic relationship of human with trees and plants
12. Emotional relationship of practiceners with the growth stages of

16. SRI ACTIVITIES PREVIOUS KHARIF

17. ADDITIONAL FOOD SECURITY DAYS
THROUGH SRI-PADDY

18. FARMERS IN THEIR SRI-RAPESEED PLOT

19. IMPACT OF SRI IN FOOD-GRAINS AND OILSEEDS
 Achieving Food Security: Marginal and poor families adopting SRI in Paddy and
wheat are getting secured food-grains.
 Earning Cash Income for Improved Livelihood Security: The families adopting
SRI in Paddy, Wheat and oilseed ,Vegetables are getting surplus cash.

20. A WOMAN WITH HER SRI VIDHI VICIA FABA

21. SRI VIDHI-WHEAT (LEFT WITH HAND AND
RIGHT WITH SEED DRILL)

22. PERCEPTION OF FARMERS ON YIELD
ENHANCEMENT
1. SRI Paddy enhancement by 100%
2. SRI Wheat enhancement by 50%
3. SRI Green gram enhancement by 50%
4. SRI- Tomato-Yield enhancement by 55%
5. SRI-Chili-Yield enhancement by 22%
6. SRI-Brinjal-Yield enhancement by 45%
7. SRI-EFY-Yield enhancement by 80%
8. SRI-Sugarcane-Yield enhancement by 85%
9. SRI-Rapeseed-Yield enhancement by 150%

23. SRI ACTIVITIES PREVIOUS KHARIF

24. PRAN IS PILOTING SRI-ELEPHANT FOOT YAM (OL) WITH
MARGINAL FARMERS IN GAYA
 First Sri-Elephant Foot Yam crop in 2012
 Yield: 102.3 tons/ha under SRI vs. 25 tons/ha
farmers practice
 Market price 10 RS/kg plus long storage
capabilities to ensure good market price
 2013: 79 Farmers planted Elephant Foot Yam
 2014: Plan with 200 Families
High growth of shoot and
girth

25. PRAN FARMERS HIGHLIGHT “SRI VIDHI” IN GANDHI MAIDAN, GAYA
ON REPUBLIC DAY EVERY YEAR
VILLAGE RESOURCE PERSONS (VRPS) AND SMALL AND MARGINAL
FARMERS PARTICIPATING IN JHANKI. ALL WEAR YELLOW SARI AS
COLOR OF SRI VIDHI.

26. TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED AND PRACTICED AT
PRAN PROJECT
1. SRI-implements: 3 –in-1 SRI dry weeder
2. Work on generations of SRI-Wheat seed drill
3. Tool for easy spacing used in SRI transplantation
4. Fertilizer (made by us and practiced by farmers):
Sripranamrit
5. Bio-pesticide (made by farmers ) we learnt this from
Subhash Palekar
6. Locally manufactured sugarcane eye extractor after
procuring from N.Delhi
PRAN works in conjunction with partners(blacksmiths,company) to
develop technologies appropriate for marginal farmers in Bihar.

27. EXAMPLES: PRAN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
Local Fertilizer and Bio-Pesticide
Production
3—in—1 SRI vidhi Weeder Tool for Spacing SRI Paddy
SRI-Sugarcane Eye extractor

28. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT: SRI –SEED DRILL
PRAN is thrilled that after several generations of experimenting with SRI-
wheat direct seeders, a highly functional and low cost seeder was finally
completed in December 2013 by Kolkata based company Agro Vison. This
wheat-seeder significantly decreases the labor involved in SRI-wheat.
4th Generation SRI-Wheat Seeder:
80% Satisfaction Level
5th Generation SRI-Wheat Seeder: PRAN satisfied with
this version and will promote amongst farmers. Already
Received 30 at cost of Rs 4,000/-per machine

29. LOCAL FUNGICIDES

30. LOCAL PESTICIDE

31. LOCAL MANURES

32. ADOPTION OF SRI-PADDY WITH PRAN
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
2009-10 2010- 11 2011- 12 2012- 13 2013- 14
No. Of Families
Acre
Year 2009-10
(Drought
Year)
2010-11
(Drought
Year)
2011-12
Irregular
rainfall
2012-13
Rainfall in
August
2013-14
Drought Year
Families
5,994 5,217 18,764 26,142
10,249
(vs15,000 plan)
Percentage
Growth from
Pervious Year in
Number of
Families
N/A -12.96% 259.67% 39.32% - 60.79%
Acres 761 650 3,140.49 6,921.4 3349
Acres per Family 0.13 0.12 0.17 0.26
0.33 (vs0.30
planned)
Average Yield 7 t/ha 6 t/ha 6 t/ha 6.5 t/ha 5.7 t/ha

33. PROGRESS OF RABI SRI CROPS
SRI
CROP
NO.
OF
FAMIL
IES IN
2012-
13
AREA
IN
ACRE
IN
2012-
13
Acrea
ge/far
mer in
2012-
13
NO.
OF
FAMIL
IES IN
2013-
14
AREA
IN
ACRE
IN
2013-
14
Acrea
ge/far
mer
in
2013-
14
SRI-
Wheat 7,368 782.98 0.11 5268 709.80 0.13
SRI-
Rapese
ed
3,205 336.21 0.10 1559 172.53 0.11
SRI-
Vegeta
bles
586 35 0.06 2212 137.45 0.06
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
SRI Wheat SRI Rapeseed SRI Vegetable
Family 2012-13
Area 2012-13
Family 2013-14
Area 2013-14
SRI Other Crops Acreage 0.10 vs planned
0.15 per family

34. TRAINING DETAILS
Training Head Planned Training
Days
Achieved Till Now
Farmer Training 15000 3862
Adoption of NPM 300 527
Exposure 1000 108
VRP Training (New) 200 140
VRP Training (Old) 50 70
Planning Period is September 2013 – August 2014

35. PRAN COLLABORATION WITH GOVERNMENT
 Through Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (BLRPS) in all
project districts
 Declared 2011 as SRI year
 Demonstration of SRI-Paddy in 3.5 lakh hectare and SRI-wheat in 2.4
lakh hectare
 Bihar got Krishi Karman Award for highest ever production of Paddy in
state
 Women farmers were used by government to share their experiences
and demonstrations in all 38 districts
 After introduction of SRI Bihar produced 84lakh tonnes of Paddy
against previous highest production of 58 lakh tonnes.
 In 2013-14 7.5 lakh farmers practiced SRI in Bihar
 In 2014-15 declared SRI as culture of Bihar.Government has a plan to
promote SRI in 20 lakh acres.Distributing inputs for 5 lakh acre towards
demonstration.
 PRAN has a plan to inaugurate a SRI-Museum in Gaya

36. PRAN FARMERS GOT AWARD AT NATIONAL LEVEL
 SRI farmers got award from
president and agriculture
minister, Government of India
 Santosh Kumar got award
from Sri Sharad Pawar
(July2013)while Jayjeet
Kumar got award and a cash
prize of Rs 50000/- from Sri
Narendra Modi.(Sept 2013)
PD, Deputy PD ATMA, District consultant,
Department of Agriculture and block level
officials involved in yield estimation

37. LIVOLINK FOUNDATION-PRAN UNDERTAKING
RESEARCHES ON SRI
• A farmer from Gaya has been helping scientists at Indian Agriculture Research
Institute, New Delhi (IARI) to experiment SRI-Paddy and Wheat since 3 years .
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Patna (ICAR) is also getting good results in
wheat and Paddy
• Wheat Research Institute, Karnal (WRI), and Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard,
Bharatpur asked for Package of Practices of SRI-crops

38. DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AGRICULTURE ASSESING
THE SRI RESEARCH PLOT IN GAYA

39. ASPECT-1
Number of plants per hill X Age
of seedlings
5Treatments and 4 Replications
T1-16days old single seedling at 25cmX25cm
T2-16 days 2 seedlings at 25cmX25cm
T3-22 days old single seedling at 25 cmX25cm
T4-22 daysold 2 seedlings at 25 cmX25 cm
T5-10 days old single seedling at 25cmX25cm

40. LEARNINGS GENERATED FROM ASPECT-1
 Among all treatments T5 provided the maximum yield while T3 gave the
minimum yield .T2,T1 and T4 provided yields in between.
 The number of tillering were maximum in T2 while minimum in T3.
 The average length of panicle were maximum in T5 while minimum in T4
 The average number of grains per panicle was maximum in T5 while
minimum in T3.
 The average plant height was maximum in T1 while minimum in T3.
Conclusion based on Aspect 1-
T5 gave the best yield and confirmed our belief to transplant
seedlings at 10 days.
Single seedling at the age of 10 days may be suitable for
transplanting.

41. ASPECT-2
 Contribution of each aspect on crop yield
6 treatments X4 replications
T1-12 days single seedling, spacing 25cmX25cm and Manual weeding.
T2-12 days 3 seedlings,spacing 25cmX25cm and manual weeding
T3-12 days single seedling,Spacing 15cmX20cm and mechanical weeding
T4-25 days single seedling,spacing 25cmX25cm and mechanical weeding
T5-12 days one seedling ,Spacing 25cmX25cm and manual weeding
T6-25 days 3 seedlings,spacing 15 cmX 20 cm and manual weeding

42. LEARNINGS FROM ASPECT-2
 T3 gave the maximum yield while T4 provided the minimum
and others in between
 The maximum tillering took place in T2 while minimum in
T4.
 The maximum length of panicle is in T1 and minimum in T6.
 The maximum number of grains per panicle was in T1 and
minimum in T6.
 The maximum height of plant was in T4 while minimum in
T2.
 The number of plants per sqm was maximum in T3 and
minimum in T4.
Conclusion based on this trial:T3 was better as compared
to others

43. ASPECT-3
 Age of seedlings X Spacing
 T1-16 days seedlings,spacing 25cmX25cm,two seedlings
 T2-16 days seedlings,spacing 20cmX20cm,two seedlings
 T3-22 days seedlings,spacing 25cmX25cm,two seedlings
 T4-22 days seedlings, spacing 20cmX20cm,two seedlings
 T5-10 days seedlings,spacing 25cmX25cm,single seedling

44. LEARNINGS FOR ASPECT-3
 T5 gave maximum yield while T1 provided the minimum.
 The number of tillering was maximum in T2 while minimum in T3.
 The average maximum height of plant was in T4 while minimum in T2.
 The length of the panicle was maximum in T5while minimum in T3.
 The number of grains per panicle was highest in T5 while minimum in
T3.
 The average number of plants per sqm was maximum in T2 while
minimum in T3.
 Concusion based on this trial:T5 gave maximum yield as length of
pancile and number of grains were more to others.

45. PRAN, JAIN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS LTD. & HARVARD
UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION(A PILOT PROJECT)
ANU-DEVI SHOWS
COLLECTIVE ACCOUNT
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Solar Powered Pump Provided By JAIN
Irrigation
JAIN Irrigation Staff learn from PRAN
Farmers, including VP Agronomy Dr. Soman
 2013 Piloted scheme to bring solar powered irrigation
and drip irrigation to seven farmers in Rajapur Village,
Gaya district Bihar
 1 solar powered pump and drip irrigation facilities
provided by JAIN Irrigation Systems Ltd.
 Farmer collective manages solar pump and drip
system– collecting Rs 20/-per hour to pay for future
repairs
 If successful, opportunities to scale this model under
consideration with support from JAIN and Harvard
University
Farmers signing collective agreement

46. DRIP IRRIGATION WITH FARMERS

47. CHALLENGES
 Draught every alternate year
 Low literacy

48. VISITORS
 Agricultural scientists from Israiel,IFRI and
Harvard
 Journalists from Germany and Austria
 Agronomists from University of Sussex
 Joint Secretary,NFSM
 ICAR scientists
 Local officials/Vice chancellor,Nalanda
International University

49. Year1 Year2 Year3
Old
farmers
12000(Y2) 12000(Y3)
3000(Y2)
3000(Y3)
5000(Y2)
New
farmers
3000(Y1) 5000(Y1) 5000(Y1)
Old(Contin
uing on
their own)
0 0 12000(Y4)
Total 15000 20000 25000
SRI-Other crops-10,000 hh
District level workshops- 2 (Gaya,
Nalanda)
State level workshop-1
SRI Vidhi Cluster Adhivesan-21
Farmers Training-30000 trainee days
VRP training to farmers-200
Low cost Vermicomposting-400(50
new)units
Demonstration of +ve experience of
Local Fertilisers and pesticides
among 500hh
Exposure and Awareness on SRI-
3000 hh
PRAN’S PLAN FOR 2014-2015
Coverage:20000 families during kharif and
10000 families during rabi and summer
Plan for SRI Paddy Plan for SRI Other Crops