INTEGRATED FISH-RICE SYSTEMS BOOST HARVESTS IN RWAMAGANA DISTRICT

He is one of 264 members of the cooperative of rice farmers in Rwamagana district, Eastern Province, Rwanda. In January 2022, FAO’s integrated fish-rice project was piloted in Rwanda, and his cooperative was chosen to establish a Farmer Field School (FFS) group to pilot the novel approach. A few months down the road, Joseph and his fellow cooperative members are happy farmers after their harvests increased exponentially.

“I have been farming rice for many years, but this new approach is the most fruitful. We are implementing it on 20 acres, and so far, it is very promising. We have already harvested one ton and 108 kilograms. But before we knew about this innovation, we used to harvest around 800 kilograms in the same area.” He said.

The integrated fish-rice systems approach was one of the 22 projects that FAO showcased during the 15th National Agriculture Show (Agrishow). The Agrishow 2022 was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) from 06-14th July, 

under the theme “Building resilience in Agriculture through modern technologies”. Hundreds of guests who attended the Agrishow could not resist their curiosity, asking about the model experimental plot installed on FAO’s stand. The plot is made of two blocks, the first with rice and fish planted only with animal manure and the second showing feed supplements added. In it, there are freshly planted rice and small fish swimming in the handmade farm. “This is really amazing. It is my first-time seeing fish integrated into a rice farm. I hope this project will be scaled up around the country. Our country is small and harvesting fish and rice from the same place is very beneficial and good land management,” said Cyprien Sibobugingo, a guest at FAO’s stand.T hroughout the Agrishow, Joseph was the first contact for guests who wanted to know more about the integrated fish-rice innovation. Standing before an experimental model plot full of paddy rice and fish fingerlings, he couldn’t hide his enthusiasm as he talked of how his cooperative has benefited from this approach. He is optimistic that the approach will keep boosting their harvest, which will better their social-economic status

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