SRI

Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to watch the harvesting of the first SRI pilot plot for the Office of Development of EDS (Episcopal Diocese of Santiago). What is SRI? It stands for Systems Rice Intensification. Filipinos first developed it but farmers are reluctant to pick up the process here The developers moved it to India where it has been wildly successful. Basically, SRI allows for more yields with less seeds.

As they say, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But that is exactly what the Development Office is trying to do in the Diocese of Santiago. They are hoping by planting their own small, pilot plots that they will show congregation members, farmers, that SRI can help them produce more rice at a lesser price. Therefore, it provides higher rewards.

With the harvesting of last Tuesday’s plot, it proved just that. The Development Office’s plot yielded three bags and two cans on 266 square meters. With a comparison of the plot next door, not planting SRI, it calculated to an increase of 54%. And that was with 23% of the palay being empty of grains due to typhoon wind damage during a crucial part of growing.

SRI grows taller than normal rice so Charlotte is almost lost within it.

Team Asia

Sean Brown is from the Diocese of Hawaii and will be serving in the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (The Anglican Episcopal Church in Japan). He'll be serving as a volunteer at the Asian Rural Institute in Nasushiobara.

Will Bryant is from the Diocese of Western North Carolina and will be serving in the Diocese of Western Kowloon. He will be the Chaplaincy Assistant with the Mission to Seafarers in Hong Kong.

Margaret Clinch is from the Diocese of Southern Ohio and will be serving in the Episcopal Church in the Philippines. She will be working at Easter College in Baguio. 

Charlotte File is from the Diocese of Indianapolis and will be serving in the Diocese of Yokohama. She'll be the Education and International Exchange Program Assistant at the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project in Kiyosato, Japan.