Enhancing climate resilience and productivity in Mekong Deltas by improving rice-field pond

Abstract

This study explores the potential of integrating rice-field ponds with climate-resilient practices to enhance agricultural productivity and profitability in water-scarce rural areas. The research indicates that rice-field ponds not only support multiple cycles of rice production but also boost income and food security by allowing fish harvesting. Farmers adapted practices by stocking wild fish and reducing inputs, demonstrating the adaptability of rice-field ponds compared to conventional small-scale aquaculture. The study compares fish productivity in pond areas across Prey Veng and Takeo, highlighting differences between control and treatment sites. In Prey Veng, the control site recorded an average fish weight of 0.11 kg/m², while the treatment site saw an improvement to 0.16 kg/m²—an increase of approximately 45% with the treatment application. In Takeo, where the control site exhibited lower productivity with an average fish weight of 0.05 kg/m², the treatment site showed significant improvement, reaching an average fish weight of 0.14 kg/m², reflecting a remarkable 180% increase. The use of rice-field ponds has been documented in previous studies, including Vann Chanmunny's 2015 research in Pursat, which reported an average fish production of 0.46 kg/m² per season. Although yields in the current study were comparatively lower, the targeted interventions effectively boosted yields at the individual pond level. The limited scope of these interventions, which focused primarily on individual ponds without scaling to the broader rice-field fisheries system, likely contributed to the lower yields observed. In contrast, regions with a more integrated system-wide management approach, such as those in Pursat, demonstrated higher productivity. Given the experiment's success, there is a clear opportunity to expand interventions beyond individual rice-field pond management to include comprehensive fisheries system management. Collaborating with the Fisheries Administration (FiA) to manage community fish refuges (CFRs) across the Mekong Delta region could deliver significant benefits, enhancing both environmental resilience and the livelihoods of farming communities.