Rice-Fish Integration Through Organic Farming

To sustain the self sufficiency attained through green revolution it is necessary that we develop a suitable agricultural system, which will maintain soil fertility and productivity with greater acceptance of biological principles. Modern agriculture has led to the use of heavy doses of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, totally disregarding the health of soil and balance of ecosystem. Organic farming practices were known to our farmers since long but were largely given up in recent decades for chemical farming. Organic farming has dual advantage of being sustainable without endangering the environment and being cost effective as there is very little input to be brought from outsides. It is thus essential to take a look at the present farming practices with emphasis on an integrated concept of sustainable farming, that enhances the quality of environment and natural resource base while ensuring increased productivity. The need of the hour is diversification of enterprises which produces multiple food from the same unit. A judicious mix of one or more enterprises that complement the cropping activity can result in increased farm income and recycling of farm residues. Introduction of fish as a complementary component of rice, under organic management, would be effective to make it sustainable and economically viable. This publication brings out the various organic farming practices of growing rice in integration with fish and the different rice eco systems prevalent in the low lands of humid tropics. The various other topics discussed are the concept of organic farming, indigenous knowledge in organic farming systems of rice cultivation, use of beneficial micro-organisms, choice of varieties in organic rice farming, rice fish integrated systems, rice-prawn cultivation under Pokkali, vermitechnology, nutrient management, weed management, disease and pest management in organic rice-fish system.