| The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) has claimed a position among Best Management Practices (BMPs) for rice cultivation. SRI has apparently spread widely, yet the agronomic mechanisms underlying it and the social mechanisms driving it are insufficiently understood. Where much of the debate around SRI focuses on the evidence for or against agro-ecological mechanisms, an investigation into the social dimensions of SRI creates a complementary and integrated perspective. In this study, existing data on SRI is recorded and analysed. Knowledge gaps are identified, with respect to basic agro-technical and socio-economic issues and (dis)adoption behaviour. The network of organisations and institutions promoting SRI is mapped and analysed. The resulting database provides insight into the socio-economic mechanisms and technical factors underlying the spread of SRI. This leads to identification of further research questions, study regions and partner institutions, providing a basis for further work on SRI by local, national and international agencies. |
