The potential of Integrated Rice Fish Farming System to boost agroecological transitions in India’s West Godavari

Abstract

Rice is the primary crop and considered to be a key player for food security and livelihoods in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh (AP), India. The district has been witnessing increasing injudicious use of chemical agricultural inputs that are entering into the food chains and enhancing chances of bioaccumulation and biomagnification, considered to be harmful not only for the ecosystem but also for human health. In response, the Government of Andhra Pradesh rolled out in 2020 a programme, ‘Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF)’ implemented by the ‘Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) (a not-for-profit government corporation for farmers’ empowerment)’ under the aegis of Department of Agriculture, AP Government, to combat these stresses.