Quest Journals Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science Volume 10 ~ Issue 7 (2022) pp: 380-388 ISSN(Online):2321-9467 www.questjournals.org *Corresponding Author: Deepa N.R 380 | Page Research Paper Resource Use and Technical Efficiency of Sri in Madurai District of Tamilnadu Deepa N.R 1 and Manikandan K 2 The conventional paddy growing tracts are in worst crisis due to social, biological and technical setbacks. In order to maintain the present level of self-sufficiency, India needs to enhance rice production. In line with this SRI was introduced in India and it gains momentum among farmers. In this context the present study makes an attempt to examine the input use and technical efficiency of SRI based on primary data collected from 120 sample farmers selected randomly in Vadipatti Taluk of Madurai District, Tamil Nadu. Decomposition model and Stochastic Frontier Production Function were made use of in the study. The study reveals that the inputs such as human labour, seed, fertilizer, PPC and machine labour influence SRI rice yield. The study also reveals that SRI cultivation has recorded technical efficiency in relation to non-SRI cultivation in the study area. As such it indicates the possibility of increasing rice yield through adopting SRI method. Key Words: System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Decomposition analysis, Resource use and technical efficiency. JEL Classification: Q16, Q18, Q24. Received 16 July, 2022; Revised 28 July, 2022; Accepted 31 July, 2022 © The author(s) 2022. Published with open access at www.questjournals.org I. INTRODUCTION In India rice is cultivated in 534 districts spread across 30 states and Union Territories of the country. Further intensification of irrigated rice farms is necessary to feed the growing population and to maintain food security in the near future. Rice farmers, however face several problems besides water scarcity, stagnating yield, declining profit (due to rising input costs and the low rice price), less land, and labour for rice cultivation, crop failures due to adverse weather, and growing environmental concerns. In an agrarian country like India, intensified efforts to improve both crop and water productivity and the farmers‟ income is a vital need of the hour. Besides inefficiency in resource use, the yield also stagnated in many parts of rice growing regions in India. There is little scope to increase in the area. Hence increase in production and productivity with an improvement in efficiency of production through farm technology is necessary to meet the growing demand (Haldar, Honnaiah and Govindaraj, 2012). In this context, extensive efforts to relieve off from threats of water scarcity and enhance productivity have resulted in a farm technology consisting of a set of practices in wetland rice through System of Rice Intensification (SRI) (Shanmugasundaram and Helen, 2015). The novelties of SRI include conservation of land, water and bio-diversity. SRI is gaining momentum among farmers (Barah 2009). There are only less number of studies with fairly large sample in respect of resource use and technical efficiency of SRI in recent times that to after withdrawal of the promoting agencies. II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE The earlier works on input use and technical efficiency of SRI method of paddy cultivation are reviewed here. Barah (2009) who conducted a study among SRI and non-SRI farmers in four districts of Tamil Nadu found that SRI farmers have demonstrated higher efficiency (technical as well as economic) as compared to their counterparts under conventional methods. Jhana Pathak (2010) in his study conducted among 119 1 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Gandhigram Rural Institute- Deemed to be University, Gandhigram, Dindigul - 624 302. Tamil Nadu, nrdeepa78@gmail.com 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Gandhigram Rural Institute- Deemed to be University, Gandhigram, Dindigul - 624 302. Tamil Nadu. krish_drmani@rediffmail.com