By Yang Saing Koma, MAFF Cambodia (Improved Version, April 2026)
Introduction
The Sre Laar System (SLS), or System of Good Rice Farming, consists of principles and practices adapted from the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Integrated Nutrient Management, Integrated Pest Management, and other best farming practices, tailored to Cambodian conditions.
Practicing rice farming based on SLS principles is an important approach to transforming rice production from traditional farming into a highly efficient, sustainable, and market-oriented system.
This approach is based on the efficient use of natural resources (soil, water, sunlight, and nutrients), while reducing production costs, minimizing the use of chemical inputs, and reducing water use and environmental impacts.
The implementation focuses on five key management areas:
• Soil and water
• Seeds and spacing
• Fertilizer, nutrients, and soil health
• Weeds and pests
• General management
The proper integration of these elements will help rice plants grow healthily, use resources more efficiently, and achieve high and sustainable yields (synergy effects).
This guide is designed for Commune Agriculture Officers (CAOs) to use as a reference for developing training materials and for advising and supporting farmers to adapt and adopt these principles and practices to improve efficiency and resilience in rice farming.
1. Land Preparation and Water Management (3 practices)
Good soil and water management are key to improving fertilizer efficiency and ensuring uniform plant growth.
• Proper land leveling
→ Helps distribute water evenly, reduces fertilizer loss, minimizes weed problems, and ensures uniform crop growth
• Establish cross-drainage channels or furrows every 3 to 5 meters, with one furrow (around 30 cm wide)
→ Facilitates water management by allowing quick drainage and irrigation during excess or water shortage, improves light penetration, and enhances pest prevention
• Manage water using the “wet–dry” (AWD) method or avoid continuous flooding of rice fields during the vegetative stage
→ Reduces water use, increases soil oxygen, and strengthens plant roots
2. Seed and Spacing Management or One Rice Plant Principle (3 practices)
Good seeds and proper spacing are the foundation of high yields.
• Select pure, full, and high-quality seeds
→ Ensures good crop establishment and reduces diseases
• Seed treatment before planting
→ Protects against diseases and promotes strong early root development. Treatment can be done with wood vinegar or other methods
• Plant or sow with proper spacing to ensure each rice plant has sufficient space for uniform growth
→ Not too dense (to avoid competition for light, nutrients, and water) and not too sparse (to avoid wasting land)
→ Improves light penetration, root growth, and the number of tillers, and reduces the risk of pest infestation
Note: CAOs should guide farmers to calculate the number of grains per kg of paddy, the number of tillers per rice plant grown from one seed, the number of panicles per rice plant, the number of grains per panicle, and the number of seeds and rice plants per square meter, as well as the number of seeds and kilograms of seed per hectare. This will help farmers pay more attention to spacing and the use of high-quality seeds to increase grain production.
3. Fertilizer, Nutrient, and Soil Management (5 practices)
Proper fertilizer, nutrients, and soil management to improve soil health, fertilizer use efficiency, and reduce costs.
• Incorporate crop residues and straw into the soil
→ Adds organic matter and improves soil fertility
• Apply organic fertilizers as a basal application
→ (Compost, animal manure, commercial organic fertilizer, biochar)
→ Improves soil structure, water and nutrient retention capacity, provides nutrients to rice, and improves NPK fertilizer efficiency
• Apply NPK mixed with compost or biochar, or both, in split applications
→ Improves fertilizer efficiency, reduces nitrogen loss to the air, and reduces the risk of pest infestation
→ Should be applied 3–5 times according to growth stages
• Foliar nutrient application
→ Liquid fertilizers, including micronutrients or trace elements (TE), and root–leaf stimulants
→ Supplements nutrients when plants need them, improving yield and grain quality; stimulants promote root growth and enhance leaf photosynthesis, especially in the flag leaf
• Grow green manure such as mung bean, cowpea, or sun hemp
→ Regularly adds nitrogen and organic matter to the soil, reducing the risk of disease
4. Weed, Insect, and Disease Management (3 practices)
Integrated management reduces costs and environmental impacts.
• Manage weeds appropriately
→ Reduces herbicide use and ensures targeted application to avoid negative impacts on rice growth, especially in young plants
• Use natural crop protection methods
→ Such as biochar vinegar and medicinal plants or botanical pesticides. Biochar vinegar (wood vinegar) can repel pests, promote root and leaf growth, improve overall crop health, control certain pests, and improve grain quality
→ Reduces chemical pesticide use and contributes to protecting biodiversity in rice fields
• Conserve beneficial organisms and biodiversity in rice fields
→ Helps control pests naturally (e.g., frogs, fish, snakes, and beneficial insects)
5. General Management Principles (3 practices)
Good management is key to achieving successful results.
• Regular field monitoring
→ At least once per week to address problems (such as water, weeds, nutrient deficiencies, pests, and diseases) in a timely manner
• Record farming data
→ Input use, expenses, and yields
→ Helps analyze cost of production, cost reduction, input use efficiency, and return on investment compared to conventional or traditional farmer practices
• Collaborate and share experiences among farmers
→ Encourages learning from each other and continuous improvement of rice farming practices
Conclusion and Final Note for CAOs
The implementation of the five good rice farming principles and 17 practices requires active participation, experimentation, and adaptation to real field conditions. In practice, farmers will adopt these principles and practices step by step, starting with those that best suit their capacity and willingness.
It is important for CAOs to begin with a small group of farmers who understand the principles and are willing to demonstrate some of the practices, and to work closely with them to ensure proper implementation and documentation.
From experience, the use of full-grain seeds combined with improved spacing, split application of nitrogen fertilizers, and the use of wood vinegar are among the simplest practices to adopt and can deliver quick, visible results. This helps serve as an entry point to build farmers’ trust.
There is a need for CAOs to collect accurate baseline data on existing farmer practices, especially data on yields, seed use, and the type, amount, and frequency of fertilizer and pesticide use. A control plot should also be established to compare improved practices with current farmer practices.
It is important to note that when all principles and practices are properly applied and widely adopted, they can:
• Increase yields (generally more than 50 percent) and improve grain quality with better market prices
• Reduce production costs, especially by reducing pesticides (more than 75 percent or even to zero) and chemical fertilizers (more than 30 percent)
• Improve soil health
• Reduce environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions
👉 Overall, this will contribute to increasing farmers’ income and making the rice sector more sustainable, competitive, resilient, and supportive of climate change mitigation in the long term.
Summary Table of Principles and Practices
|
Management Area |
Principle Focus |
Practices |
Key Benefits |
|
1. Land & Water |
Efficient water and soil management |
Land leveling; drainage channels; AWD water management |
Better water use, uniform growth, stronger roots |
|
2. Seeds & Spacing |
One rice plant principle |
Quality seeds; seed treatment; proper spacing |
Higher tillers, better growth, fewer pests |
|
3. Fertilizer & Soil |
Soil health and nutrient efficiency |
Residue incorporation; organic fertilizer; split NPK; foliar feeding; green manure |
Lower costs, improved soil, higher efficiency |
|
4. Weeds & Pests |
Integrated ecosystem management |
Weed control; natural protection; biodiversity conservation |
Reduced chemicals, healthier ecosystem |
|
5. General Management |
Farm management and learning |
Monitoring; record keeping; farmer collaboration |
Better decisions, continuous improvement |