Development in Rice-Fish-Livestock Farming for Higher Production and Income in Coastal Areas

Abstract

In Asia, around 80% of world rice is grown covering about 80 million (m) hectares (ha) in irrigated and 60 m ha in rainfed lowland conditions, including deepwater and coastal areas. These areas offer a suitable environment for growing fish, prawn, ducks and other aquatic organisms. Rice-fish culture, a ‘Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System’, was widely practised in total 28 countries on six continents during mid-1900s. This culture system got a setback during mid-1960s for a period of more than a decade due to the introduction of high-yielding cultivars in rice associated with high amount of chemical use. During 1980s, rice-fish culture revived with renewed global interest after the emergence of relatively safe chemicals and introduction of integrated pest management (IPM) in rice production. Subsequently, this culture system was diversified with the integration of other compatible components like vegetable and fruit crops, duck and other animals. Specifically, rice-fish-/duck farming evolved as an effective and beneficial tool for IPM in rice production in terms of controlling rice pests as well as for quality food production and higher income. In the coastal areas of India, Bangladesh and Vietnam, rice-fish production remained an age-old practice in the form of capture fisheries with the popular indigenous systems, viz., Bheri/Bhasabadha, Pokkali and Khazan in India and Bheri/Gher in Bangladesh. The productivity in the traditional systems was less ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 t of rice and 50–600 kg of fish and prawn/shrimp ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. These production systems were improved during 1980s with the introduction of salt-tolerant improved rice cultivars and selective stocking and management of freshwater and brackish water fish and prawn/shrimp attaining higher productivity of 2.4–5.7 t ha⁻¹of rice and about 200–2100 kg of fish and prawn/shrimp ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, with a net income up to US$ 2263 in one crop cycle. Research at ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, India, during 1990s and thereafter led to the development and dissemination of two rice–fish–horticulture–livestock-based diversified farming system models in rainfed waterlogged lowland and deepwater situations, including coastal areas. These farming system models have the potential of increasing production by around ten folds and net income by fifteen times (US$ 1500–4000 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) over traditional rice farming. Rice-fish system is an ecologically sound and climate smart technology as it: (i) restricts chemical use, (ii) reduces greenhouse gas emission, (iii) facilitates multiple use of water, including harvested water for crops production, (iv) promotes recycling of farm wastes perse and (vi) helps conservation of the ecosystem. Adoption of rice–fish–horticulture–livestock-based farming systems with policy and institutional supports can greatly contribute to food, nutritional and economic security for coastal farmers.