Rice-Fish Farming

In a rice-fish system, the field is prepared so that it can hold water reliably and, usually, provide a deeper refuge where fish can survive when the main paddy is drained or shallow. Fish are stocked into the flooded field and feed on natural food organisms, weeds, insects, and sometimes supplementary feed, growing alongside or between rice crops until they are harvested with or after the grain.

Concurrent (simultaneous) culture

Fish are raised in the field at the same time as the standing rice crop.

Rotational culture

Fish are reared in the field in the period between rice crops or in an alternating sequence with rice.

• Fish feed on weeds, insect pests, and other organisms, contributing to pest and weed control
• Fish movement and feeding help cycle nutrients and can stimulate the paddy ecosystem
• Fish waste returns nutrients that can benefit the rice crop
• The flooded paddy provides habitat and natural feed for the fish
• The same land and water yield both grain and protein, diversifying output and income

Because the fish are sensitive to how the field is managed, rice-fish systems tend to favour reduced or carefully targeted use of pesticides, aligning the system with more ecological approaches to rice production.

Successful rice-fish farming requires reliable water control, field modifications such as strengthened bunds and refuge trenches, and coordination of water depth and crop-protection decisions around the needs of the fish. Practices that would be routine in rice alone — such as draining the field or applying certain pesticides — must be adapted so as not to harm the fish.

Rice-fish farming is valued for diversifying smallholder production, improving nutrition through added protein, and supporting more ecological pest management, and it is promoted as an integrated, resource-efficient use of paddy land and water. It requires more knowledge and infrastructure than sole-crop rice, and its suitability depends on water availability, field conditions, and access to fish stock and markets.