Organics and System of Rice Intensification in Coastal Agro-Ecosystem

The dominance of Green Revolution Agriculture practices in coastal areas increased the ion concentration in soil as well as in irrigation water and thus reducing yield both quantitatively and qualitatively and culminated in increased salinity of water and soil. In response to these problems, the emerging Agro-Ecology paradigm suggests organic farming through farmers participation. Based on the local conditions and available natural resources, System of Rice Intensification (SRI) combined with organic inputs appear to be more promising for paddy cultivation in saline soils in the coastal Agro-Ecosystems. These organic farming practices facilitate lower ion concentration and improve the soil ecology and paddy productivity. SRI involves low input (water & nutrient), higher output technology, evolved in Madagascar in 1970s, spread to South and South East Asian countries and currently becoming popular among South Indian farmers.Need for farmers's participation is articulated in terms of efficiency and/or cost-effectiveness, equity in distribution of benefits, sustainability and empowerment of the farmer's community. Hence, the present study was planned through farmer's participation