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Rice-Fish Farming by \| 12-10-2014 22:03
I was given assignment to write about "Rice Fish Farming" in my Fishery class. Being agriculture student, I found topic so much interesting. I immediately started to search in Google about "Rice Fish Farming", read some book in library and also contact "Department of Fisheries" here in our university. Rice is the main agricultural crop and prime staple food of Nepal. Rice is grown in flooded condition here in our country. So rice plant, weeds and algae become competitive to each other as they are dependent on same source for the nutrient. However introduction of fish after 2 weeks of rice plantation can change the whole scenario, booming the production of rice, controlling of weeds and algae and flow of nutrient thus providing advantages to farmers economically, socially and environmentally. Despite loss of 3-5% loss in rice cultivating area due to ?trench? as fish hiding place rice production increases up to 9% in addition of 529 Kg ha^-1 fish from rice-fish integrated farming than cultivating rice alone (TB Gurung and SK Wagle). According to what fisheries department said, production can be increased upto 15% . Isn't this so amazing. Some of the benefits of Rice-fish farming are: Reduction in use of fertilizer, weedicide and pesticide The recycling of nutrients by the fish through feeding and depositing feces in the soil. This increases the uptake of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen by the rice Increase in rice production Fish could become reliable source of animal protein Increase in income from both fishes production and rice.( In some cases fish production could even excel the rice production in terms of money) Control mosquitoes causing reduction of anopheline and culicine larval population by 90 and 70 percent respectively (WHO 1980 in Pao 1981) Reduction in insect pest There are some constraints as well. Such as: Low fish price Other source of animal proteinare much preferred like Beef, Chevon, Mutton, Pork, Poultry and so on Reliable water supply and source of fingerlings are necessary Uncertainty of rainfall and poor irrigation system Commonly cultured fishes like Tilapia, Carp have less value when there is access to marine species, Milk fish and so forth It can be done only if houses are near It is more risky Difficulty in properly stocking fingerlings, which are often not available at the right time, in the right number or the correct size I got much interested into this system of farming considering the environmental advantages like control of weeds, pest and algae( which otherwise would have to be removed using weedicide, pesticide and alagecide respectively), mosquito control and also providing and circulating nutrients (hence reducing use of fertilizer).

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