An innovative rice-growing technique, known as the 'System of Rice Intensification'(SRI), is being steadily taken up by farmers across Asia because of its claims to significantly reduce water use, produce higher yields and endow farms with associated environmental benefits. But differing perceptions of the management, risk and verification of the technique are at the core of a widening international argument over whether SRI really has the radical advantages over the traditional flooded-field style of rice cultivation.