The rice-fish coexistence system not only increases farmers' incomes but also adjusts the ecosystem balance. [Photo/Official WeChat account: sh-jiading] |
Waigang town in Jiading district, Shanghai, has explored a new way to increase the incomes of local farmers by raising fish in paddy fields, according to a local media report.
The rice-fish coexistence system is a traditional farming model with a history of more than 1,000 years in China, which can not only increase farmers' incomes but adjust the balance of the ecosystem.
Since last year, the town has distributed 13,000 fish into 3.33 hectares of rice fields, and harvested about 500 kilogram of rice and 1,150 kg of fish, which is expected to increase farmers' incomes by about 60,000 yuan ($8,600) per hectare, and also help the town achieve high-quality, green agricultural development.
Local authorities said that the system benefits the town's biological diversity and the balance of its ecosystem.