The first year of the SRI-T project has made good progress during 2023, with almost 975 farmers, trained on various principles of SRI method both in theory and in practice. In addition, 16 researchers/ field personnel, 207 lead farmers, 31 local Government/Agricultural Extension Department officers were trained. A total of 6 training modules on different principles of SRI (covering crop, soil, water, pest, and disease and weed management) were prepared/evaluated and the final version was published in local language. Swahili). One of the significant achievements of the project in the first year has been the introduction of the “mat nursery” technique for the first time in the rice growing areas of Tanzania.

Scientists, farmers, and extension officers were trained on the mat nursery technique in India and on farm demos were conducted in project areas in Tanzania. Farmers have
observed the benefits of this nursery technique in terms of quality seedlings, low seed rate, and easy to manage and transport rice seedlings.

Mat nursery has resulted in a significant decrease in seed rate from 30 kgs to 4 kgs/acre/ and seed cost savings of 90,000 TZS per acre.