(Myanmar, 28 May 2026) In many rural communities, a rice field produces just one harvest each season: rice.
But in some areas, farmers are trying a different approach. Instead of using flooded fields only for rice cultivation, they are raising fish alongside crops through a method known as integrated rice–fish farming.
This is not a new idea.
It has reportedly been practised for generations in parts of Asia, and is increasingly recognised as a climate-smart farming method that can support food production, nutrition, and livelihood diversification while making use of existing farmland and water resources.
In Myanmar, since the 1990s, rice–fish systems have been introduced. Researchers and development organisations continue to study how they may support smallholder farmers under changing environmental and economic conditions.
Research in the Ayeyarwady Delta found that rice–fish co-culture generated product values approximately 40 per cent higher than rice monoculture systems in the study area. Other studies on Myanmar have shown that modified rice–fish plots can improve profitability while maintaining comparable rice yields under certain conditions.
The idea behind rice–fish farming is relatively simple.
Fish are introduced into flooded rice paddies after rice seedlings are established, allowing farmers to harvest both rice and fish from the same field.
As the fish move through the water, they feed on insects and naturally occurring organisms in the field. In some systems, this can help reduce pest pressure and lower reliance on chemical pesticides. Their movement may also support nutrient cycling and improve ecological functions within paddy ecosystems.
For farmers who depend largely on a single harvest, this approach may offer a practical way to diversify both food and income.
Diversified food sources
Fish is an important source of protein and micronutrients in Myanmar, particularly in rural communities where access to diverse foods is limited. Studies have shown that integrated rice–fish systems can contribute to improved dietary diversity and household nutrition by increasing access to protein-rich foods during the farming season.
Researchers note that diversified farming systems may help strengthen household resilience by reducing dependence on a single crop or income source and by providing additional food sources during periods of environmental or economic stress.
Farmers involved in rice–fish systems often describe the additional food produced as one of the main benefits. Instead of relying entirely on a single rice harvest, households also have access to fish for consumption or sale during the farming season.
In some areas, the system may also help reduce dependence on external markets by allowing households to produce both staple food and protein within the same farming system. This can become especially important in contexts where transport, market access, or supply chains are disrupted by flooding, economic shocks, or conflict-related challenges.
A system with benefits and challenges
While the system offers clear advantages, rice–fish farming also requires extra effort.
Research and field assessments in Myanmar have identified several practical constraints affecting adoption, including limited access to skilled technical support, insufficient fish seed supply in some areas, rising production costs, and land-use regulations that may affect how rice fields can be modified for aquaculture purposes.
Farmers need to modify their fields to create space for fish, which can reduce the area available for rice and requires additional labour and cost. Water and pH levels also need to be managed carefully throughout the season.
Because fish are sensitive to many chemical pesticides and fungicides commonly used in rice production, farmers participating in rice–fish systems may need to reduce or avoid certain chemical inputs altogether.
Climate risks present further challenges. In the Ayeyarwady Delta, farming communities regularly face flooding, cyclones, saltwater intrusion, and changing rainfall patterns, all of which can affect both rice and fish production.
Because of these factors, specialists emphasise that rice–fish farming may not be suitable for every location or household, and that successful adoption depends heavily on local environmental conditions, infrastructure, farmer experience, and access to support services.
Growing interest among farmers
Despite these challenges, interest in integrated rice–fish systems continues in some farming communities and research programmes in Myanmar.
For some farmers, the system represents not only an opportunity to produce more from the same field, but also a way to experiment with farming methods that rely less heavily on external chemical inputs and single-source incomes.
