Authors: Teodoro C. Mendoza, Retired Professor of Crop Science, UP Los Baños; Rene E. Oreneo, Former Dean, SOLAIR; Arze Glipo, Executive Director, Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF); Flor Sojon, IRDF Rice Focal Person
Abstract
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) offers a transformative pathway for enhancing Philippine food security through agroecological intensification, climate mitigation, and farmer empowerment. This paper explores the potential of scaling up SRI as a rights-based, climate-smart strategy that reduces methane emissions, sequesters carbon via soil organic matter (SOM), and minimizes fossil fuel and water use. It emphasizes the need for inclusive policy frameworks that address land tenure insecurity, recognize indigenous and women-led knowledge systems, and provide financial incentives for ecosystem services. By quantifying the climate and societal co-benefits of SRI—including up to ₱48,000 per hectare per year in avoided emissions and input savings—this study argues for embedding SRI into national climate strategies, SDG-aligned food policies, and farmer compensation mechanisms. The paper concludes that SRI is not merely a yield-enhancing technique but a systemic intervention for ecological justice, intergenerational equity, and sovereign food futures. The Philippines can double its rice productivity, slash emissions, and restore ecological integrity without expanding a single hectare of irrigated land, thus saving between ₱250B to ₱500B (₱0.5M–₱1M per hectare) in irrigation costs for 500,000 hectares.
Brief Background
The Philippines stands at a critical juncture in its agricultural history. Despite being an agricultural nation, it has remained a rice-deficit country for decades, importing between 15% to 25% of its rice requirements annually (Mendoza et al., 2025). This dependency undermines national sovereignty, as a country that cannot feed its people cannot claim full autonomy. Rice, deeply embedded in Filipino culture and consumed in every household meal, is more than a staple—it is the barometer of food security. Rice accounts for about 45% to 70% of daily calorie intake.
However, current production levels of 12.86 million metric tons (20.4 Mt, unmilled rice equivalent) annually fall short of the demand of 15 million metric tons (24.0 Mt, unmilled rice equivalent), resulting in a persistent supply deficit. An innovative pathway toward addressing this issue includes hybrid rice genotypes and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) (Inquirer article).
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a climate-smart, yield-enhancing approach to rice cultivation that focuses on optimizing plant, soil, water, and nutrient management. Developed in Madagascar and adapted globally, it emphasizes early transplanting of young seedlings (8–15 days old), wide spacing (typically 25×25 cm), and planting single seedlings per hill. SRI replaces continuous flooding with alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation, improving soil aeration and microbial activity. It also encourages organic fertilization, minimal agrochemical use, and mechanical or manual weeding to stimulate root growth and tillering. These practices have led to dramatic yield increases—often doubling or tripling conventional outputs—while reducing water use and input costs.
In the Philippines, SRI has been successfully trialed in Mindanao, Leyte, and the Ifugao rice terraces, with yields reaching up to 12 tons/ha, compared to traditional averages of 4–5 tons/ha (SRI-CIIFAD, 2024). It is increasingly seen as a pathway to rice self-sufficiency, ecological resilience, and farmer empowerment.
SRI Rice Performance by Plant Spacing
| Spacing (cm) | Tillers / Hill | Productive Tillers / Hill | Grains / Panicle | Grain Yield (tons/ha) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 × 25 | 20–25 | 15–18 | 120–150 | 6.5–7.5 |
| 30 × 30 | 25–30 | 18–22 | 140–180 | 7.5–8.5 |
| 40 × 40 | 30–35 | 20–25 | 160–200 | 8.0–9.2 |
These values vary depending on cultivar, soil fertility, and farmer skill in implementing SRI principles (e.g., early transplanting, single seedlings, AWD, and organic inputs).
Economic and Environmental Impacts
Scaling rice self-sufficiency across 2 million hectares using high-yield hybrid varieties and agroecological intensification presents a transformative economic opportunity for the Philippines. The gross value of unmilled rice at ₱25/kg is approximately ₱0.75 trillion. If farmers consistently earn ₱100,000 per hectare annually, the total direct income generated would reach ₱225 billion, revitalizing rural economies and reversing agricultural decline (Mendoza et al., 2025).
Moreover, replacing the current 4.7 million metric tons of rice imports with domestic production could save the country an estimated ₱145 billion annually, reducing vulnerability to global price shocks and strengthening the peso by curbing foreign exchange outflows. Collectively, these interventions could contribute 1.5–2% to the national GDP, affirming rice as a strategic economic driver.
Assessing the Impacts of SRI: A Triple Win for Planet, People, and Prosperity
SRI must be understood not merely as a technological upgrade but as a transformative socio-ecological intervention. It integrates land tenure reform, women’s participation, indigenous knowledge, and ecological justice within its adoption framework. Beyond yield gains, SRI significantly reduces methane emissions, enhances soil organic matter (SOM), and conserves water—making it integral to the Philippines’ national climate strategy.
Compensating Farmers for Adopting Agroecology-Based SRI
Farmers adopting agroecology-based SRI should be rewarded financially for the climate co-benefits they generate. Estimated annual benefits per hectare include:
| Component | ₱/ha/year |
|---|---|
| Methane reduction | ₱23,200 |
| Carbon sequestration via SOM | ₱5,307 |
| Reduced fossil fuel use | ₱16,350 |
| Reduced water pumping | ₱3,609 |
| Total | ₱48,466 |
This estimate reflects only quantifiable climate and energy co-benefits. If societal health gains from reduced agrochemical exposure are included, compensation would be higher. These figures support embedding SRI into national climate strategies and carbon credit schemes.
Climate and Resource Gains from SRI Adoption
Expanding irrigated land is not a climate-resilient strategy—it deepens fossil dependency and ecological risk. SRI offers a low-cost, high-impact alternative: doubling service area, cutting emissions, and restoring soil health. Full adoption could reduce emissions by nearly 20 Mt CO₂e/year, while avoiding 500,000 ha of new irrigation infrastructure.
Summary and Conclusion
The Philippines can and must become rice self-sufficient. The Davao SRI trials show what is possible when science, policy, and farmer motivation align. SRI enables the Philippines to double rice productivity, reduce emissions, and restore ecological integrity without expanding irrigation infrastructure—saving ₱250B–₱500B.
SRI is not merely a farming technique—it is a systems-level intervention addressing climate, equity, and sovereignty. With proper support, training, and policy alignment, it can become the cornerstone of a sovereign, climate-resilient, and equitable food future for the Philippines.
References
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- Fair Finance Asia Philippines. (2021). When big businesses and farmers’ interests collide.
- FAO. (2021). World fertilizer trends and outlook to 2022.
- Forest Peoples Programme. (2023). Indigenous women-led food sovereignty initiatives.