More productive and sustainable rice for Latin America

The project aims to advance the development of the Intensive System of Rice Cultivation (SICA) that favors the development of the plant by improving the efficiency in the use of nutrients, light and water. This is based on incorporating biomass into the soil, transplanting young seedlings at low density, placing one seedling per site, using irrigation (not flooding) and mechanical weed control. The expected results are focused on: increasing rice yields in the intervened plots by at least 1 ton/ha, reducing the use of agrochemicals used in rice cultivation by 10%, reducing the use of rice seed in the intervened areas by 30%, and reducing rice production costs by 20%. The project is expected to benefit 120 rice producers in Chile, 105 in Panama, 450 in Argentina, and 300 in Venezuela. Of these, 28 rice farms will benefit: 10 in Chile, 10 in Panama, 5 in Argentina and 3 in Venezuela. Forty-five technicians trained in the SICA system are also considered beneficiaries: 12 in Chile, 15 in Panama, 15 in Argentina and 3 in Venezuela.