Integrated rice-fish farming in Bangladesh: meeting the challenges of food security

Abstract

In order to meet the soaring demand for food, there is a need to increase rice and fish production in Bangladesh. In spite of the potential for rice-fish farming, rice monoculture remains the main farming system in Bangladesh. However, rice monoculture cannot provide a sustainable food supply without a cost to long-term environmental sustainability. We provide evidence that integrated rice-fish farming can play an important role in increasing food production as the integrated farming system is better than rice monoculture in terms of resource utilization, diversity, productivity, and both the quality and quantity of the food produced. The Cobb-Douglas production function model also suggests that higher yields can be achieved by increasing inputs in the integrated farming system. Integrated rice-fish farming also provides various socioeconomic and environmental benefits. Nevertheless, only a small number of farmers are involved in integrated rice-fish farming due to a lack of technical knowledge, and an aversion to the risks associated with flood and drought. We conclude that integrated rice-fish farming can help Bangladesh keep pace with the current demand for food through rice and fish production but requires greater encouragement if it is to realize its full potential.

Integrated farming and its impact on farmers’ livelihood in Bangladesh

“…The number of livestock and poultry bird was higher in integrated farm than in mixed farm. The results also supported by Ahmed et al (2011). The researchers found that the highest average farm size was 0.33 ha in integrated farming followed by rice monoculture 0.31 ha and alternate farming 0.29 ha.…”

“…The food insecurity gap/surplus index shows that the food secure households exceeded the food poverty line by 6.0 percent for integrated farming and 10.0 percent for mixed farming, while food insecure households fell short of required calorie intake by 8.0 percent and 7.0 percent, respectively. Ahmed et al (2011) found that integrated rice-fish farming can play an important role in increasing food production, as the integrated farming system is better than rice monoculture in terms of resource utilization, diversity, productivity and both the quality and quantity of the food produced.…”

Paddy-Cum-Fish Cultivation and the Challenges Face by the Farmers of Manipur, India

“…It has the benefit of supplying rice as a source of carbohydrates and fish as a source of highquality protein (Frei and Becker, 2005). Reduction of lower costs of the farmer's economic load and increases in their additional income from the sale of fish are obtained at the farm level as rice-fish integration reduces the use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides in the fields (Noorhosseini, 2010;Noorhosseini and Radjabi, 2010;Ahmed and Garnett, 2011). Integrated rice-fish farming also provides higher rice yields and fetches a higher gross margin than a sole rice cropping system (Das et al, 2002).Various new modern farming techniques of the rice-fish system are still lacking in the most practical area of rural sectors of the world and need to be spread as soon as possible.…”

“…Integrated rice-fish farming also provides higher rice yields and fetches a higher gross margin than a sole rice cropping system (Das et al, 2002).Various new modern farming techniques of the rice-fish system are still lacking in the most practical area of rural sectors of the world and need to be spread as soon as possible. Integrated rice-fish farming is ecologically sound has been suggested by many reports as fish improves soil fertility by increasing the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus (Rahman et al, 2005;Ahmed et al, 2011;Ahmed and Garnett, 2011). Practicing of fish in the paddy field is an ancient traditional farming practice found in numerous rice growing area of the world and as well as in the northeastern states of India.…”

Rice + Fish Farming in Homesteads: Sustainable Natural-Resource Management for Subsistence in Arunachal Pradesh, India

“…Unlike the other rice + fish farming practices in the tropics [12][13][14][15], water for irrigating the fields is tapped from the streams originating from the nearby forests and adjacent catchment areas and diverted towards the agricultural fields, using traditional bamboo and pine-wood pipes. The water is usually diverted by a network of primary, secondary and tertiary channels.…”