THE SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION (SRI) AS A METHODOLOGY FOR REDUCING WATER REQUIREMENTS IN IRRIGATED RICE PRODUCTION

• As populations continue to grow -with supplies of fresh water at best remaining constant – water availability in per-capita terms declines each year, until population growth ceases. • As economic development proceeds, competing demands for water will make it imperative for agriculture to become more water-economizing in its production methods. Both domestic consumption and industrial uses are already becoming stronger competitors with agriculture for available water. Rising incomes encourage expectations of better living standards that increase the demand for personal consumption of water, thereby augmenting total demand. • Reductions in water quality are occurring in many places through various kinds of chemical and other pollution. The diminishing supplies of pure water affect the world’s ecosystems as well as human health. Moreover, the cost of good water rises when water purification becomes more often necessary. • Further, impending climate changes are likely to adversely affect our present patterns and amounts of rainfall distribution over time and space (even if they do not necessarily reduce total global amounts of precipitation, which could occur).