Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) - Improving Sugarcane Cultivation in India
Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative is a method of sugarcane production that involves the use of less seeds, less water and optimum utilization of fertilizers and land to achieve more yields. Driven by farmers, SSI is an alternative to conventional seed, water and space intensive sugarcane cultivation. The major principles that govern SSI are:
• Raising nursery using single budded chips.
• Transplanting young seedlings (25-35 days old).
• Maintaining wide spacing (5X2 feet) in the main fi eld.
• Providing suffi cient moisture and avoiding inundation of water.
• Encouraging organic method of nutrient and plant protection measures.
• Practicing intercropping for effective utilization of land.