Paddy cultivation today is not considered as a profitable venture by the farmers due to various factors such as  the scarcity of water, huge investment and lesser returns etc. SRI serves as the best answer to make paddy cultivation , a profitable one. SRI technique helps in increasing the productivity of the following

• water -- since yields can double or more with only half as much water, the productivity of water is greatly increased -- this is especially important in countries  like  India where water scarcity is an issue.
• land -- yields as indicated above can average about 8 t/ha once the methods are used correctly, and can be twice that or more when they are used with precision and skill.
• labor -- SRI does require more labor - about 26% in one Madagascar evaluation, 11% in a Sri Lankan survey - but depending on the cost of labor, the value of increased production increases the returns to labor by at least 50% and often several hundred percent. Once the methods have been mastered, the labor requirements for SRI decline. Also, implements are being developed that save labor. In Cambodia, over half the farmers using SRI now report that is is labor-saving for them.

SRI  farming has the following benefits

1. Planting of young seedlings prolongs the 

vegetative growth period and facilitates the production of maximum number of tillers.

2. The aerobic conditions created by alternate wetting and drying and cono weeding facilitate profuse root growth and tillering.

3. Mechanical weeding with cono weeder facilitates soil churning and incorporation of weeds which adds biomass to the soil.

4. Activity of the beneficial microbes in the root zone is enormously increased due to aerobic condition.

5. Maximum utilization of available carbon and efficient uptake and translocation of nutrients due to favourable conditions.

6. Proper utilization of fertilizers, which would otherwise be leached out due to excess water under traditional method of cultivation.

7. Wider spacing, aerated soil, sturdy plants coupled with organic manures result in lesser pest and disease problem.

1. Choose a well levelled field with good 

water control and drainage system.

2. Choose the high yielding varieties with high tillering ability possessing resistance to major pests and diseases.

3. Choose healthy and bold seeds and raise the nursery carefully in specified area.

4. Apply water with rose can twice a day in the nursery.

5. 8-12 day old seedlings (2 leaf stage) with intact soil are ideal for planting in Kharif. During rabi season under cold temperatures seedling age at planting may go up to 18-20 days (till 2 leaf seedling age). Better to consider the 2 leaf stage criteria to decide the age of seedlings for planting as the criteria is season neutral.

6. Transfer the nursery with seed and soil adhered to the seedlings (supply the nursery in the tray within an hour).

7. Nursery to be lifted without disturbance and transferred to main field for planting as per need.

8. Perfect levelling of main field is needed and drainage channels should be made all along the field to drain out excess water.

9. Monitor the crop at regular intervals.

10. Prefer using organic manures and bio- fertilizers for ensuring soil health and good yields.

11. Irrigation should be given a day prior to weeding and weeding should be done with a cono weeder 3-4 times.

1. SRI improves the productivity of land, 

labour, water and capital used in rice cultivation.

2. Implementation of SRI has helped to improve the yield of local varieties by 6 - 8 tonnes per hectare.

3. With improved management, hybrid varieties have yielded between 10 and 12 tonnes per hectare under SRI.

4. Often a 20 to 40% increase in yield compared to that under conventional methods is observed in SRI. However, the actual yield increase depends on how well farmers practice SRI.

1. Under SRI, the biological activity of soil is maximum due to use of organic manures.

2. The activity of free bacteria and other microbes around the roots of rice improves.

3. Use of organic manures also improves soil physicochemical parameters results over all improvements in soil health.