After tests dating back to 2009 in Senegal’s Fatick Region proved that the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) could give positive results for smallholder farmers in the area, the country’s agricultural and rural extension agency (ANCAR) announced on December 1st that they would focus efforts on scaling up SRI to 5,000 farmers in the broader Sine-Saloum area, which includes the Fatick, Kaolack and Kaffrine regions.

ANCAR’s Director, Abdoulaye Sy, spoke about the proven ability of SRI to increase yields while decreasing inputs, particularly of fertilizers, seed and water. Sy, who is also Senegal’s National Facilitator for the regional WAAPP SRI project, said that funds for the project would come from a 150m CFA ($285,000) grant that had been approved by the national agricultural food research fund (FNRAA), through the WAAPP.

Articles from the Senegalese news service Agence de Presse Sénégalaise about ANCAR’s announcement are available here and here.