Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Systems

Integrated rice-fish farming systems combine paddy rice cultivation with the co-culture of aquatic animals, such as fish, crayfish, frogs or ducks, within the same flooded field. By designing field configurations that accommodate both crops and animals, farmers enhance resource use efficiency and diversify income sources. The presence of aquatic species contributes to nutrient cycling, pest and weed suppression, and soil structure improvement. Fish and other aquatic animals feed on rice pests and organic residues, stimulate soil microbial activity and increase the availability of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Consequently, these systems often achieve stable or increased rice yields with reduced chemical inputs, while providing a secondary harvest of high-value protein. Globally, integrated rice-fish models support food security, rural livelihoods and environmental resilience, and have been adapted across Asia, Africa and Latin America in response to water scarcity, land pressures and the demand for sustainable intensification.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have illuminated the impact of integrated rice-fish systems on soil biology, nutrient dynamics and crop performance. A soil bacterial community analysis revealed that rice–fish fields develop distinct microbial assemblages compared with rice monocultures, with increases in nitrifying and organic-matter-degrading taxa that correlate with enhanced soil nitrogen and organic matter content. Investigations into rice–crayfish–eel tri-culture demonstrated that the introduction of eels can boost rice yields and improve fertiliser nitrogen use efficiency, though high eel densities may limit crustacean production and alter nitrogen losses. Foundational work on rice–fish co-cultivation established that fish yields can be increased without compromising rice output up to a threshold, alongside reductions in pesticide and fertiliser use and a significant rise in farmers’ net income. Studies of organic rice–frog systems similarly showed that the addition of frogs under organic management raises concentrations of key micronutrients in grain while reducing reliance on agrochemicals.

Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in integrated rice-fish farming systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Paddy field: A flooded agricultural plot used for growing rice under waterlogged conditions.

Soil organic carbon (SOC): The portion of soil organic matter composed of carbon compounds, crucial for soil fertility and structure.

Ecosystem service: A benefit provided by ecosystems to humans, including provisioning, regulating and cultural services.

Land-equivalent ratio (LER): A metric expressing the relative land area required by monoculture to achieve the same yield as a mixed or intercropped system.

References

1. Can the co-cultivation of rice and fish help sustain rice production?. Scientific Reports (2016).
2. Soil bacterial community composition in rice–fish integrated farming systems with different planting years. Scientific Reports (2021).
3. Effects of introducing eels on the yields and availability of fertilizer nitrogen in an integrated rice–crayfish system. Scientific Reports (2020).
4. Variations in nutrient and trace element composition of rice in an organic rice-frog coculture system. Scientific Reports (2017).
5. Soil Microbial Diversity and Community Composition in Rice–Fish Co-Culture and Rice Monoculture Farming System. Biology (2022).
6. Assessing Ecosystem Services of Rice–Fish Co-Culture and Rice Monoculture in Thailand. Agronomy (2022).
7. Mechanism and capacities of reducing ecological cost through rice–duck cultivation. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (2013).