The First Farmer Field Day for Rice-Fish Integrated Agriculture 4.10.19
Views
0% 0
Downloads
0 0%
Open access
Loading...
Files
Authors
Collections
With ACIAR funding CGIAR partners WorldFish and IRRI along with three Ministry of Agriculture Livestock
and Irrigation Departments (Fisheries, Agriculture and Agriculture Research) have been researching into the
viability of rice-fish integrated farming systems in the Ayeyarwady Delta. This work started with a small-scale
experiment which concluded with good results in 2017. The current large-scale research project started 23
June 2017 and will run for 4.5 years with a completion date 31 December 2021. The project has three main
objectives:
1. To characterise rice-fish systems in the Ayeyarwady delta
2. To identify improvements in rice-fish production and management systems that optimise genderequitable
income, food and nutritional outcomes and
3. To strengthen the capacity and enabling environment for research, dissemination and uptake of
improvements in rice-fish systems
To date the research has shown that the use of Best Management Practices for Rice, Fish and Water, with a
fish refuge area less than 15% of the rice plot area, can maintain the rice yield over the rice-fish area (with
higher rice yields than neighboring farmers) while doubling the profitability of the integrated farming unit
due to the introduction of fish. In addition considerable benefits are delivered in terms of improved human
nutrition and environmental protection due to the reduction in pesticide use and return of aquatic animals
as a food source.
While work continues under objective two to optimize gender equitable incomes the project has started to
work on output three with capacity development and a series of land use policy initiatives to allow the rice- fish
integrated diversified cropping system to be promoted at scale. This process involves work at both
National and sub-National levels. Hence the first Farmer Field Day on 4 October 2019 at one of three
demonstration sites in the Delta to disseminate the results to date and seek clarifications regarding our land
use policy work form the Regional Minister U Tin Aung Win.
Citation
Michael Akester, Nilar Shien. (31/10/2019). The First Farmer Field Day for Rice-Fish Integrated Agriculture 4. 10. 19.
Permanent link
DOI
Other URI
Author(s) ORCID(s)
Michael Joseph Akester https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6526-1613
Date available
2019
Type
Publisher
WorldFish