SRI: An agroecological strategy to meet multiple objectives with reduced reliance on inputs

As climate and other conditions constrain agriculture, sustainable food systems will need to evolve, producing to the extent possible more output with less inputs. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an agroecologically based methodology for crop management that raises yields by reducing rather than increasing inputs. This article explains with scientific justifications how it is possible to produce more food with less seed (lower plant density), less water, less fertilizer and agrochemicals, and often less labor. Lowering costs raises farmers’ incomes by more than their production increases. With SRI, reductions are made also in climate-change impacts and greenhouse gas emissions.