Country Evidence/Lao PDR/2023
Status of rice-fish farming and rice field fisheries in Northern Laos
Peer-Reviewed
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This 2023 peer-reviewed article in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems by Youdan Li, Mali Phonexay, Zili Zhang, Chenhong Li, Jiayao Li and Wenbo Zhang assesses the status of rice-fish farming and rice field fisheries in mountainous Northern Laos. In these areas, smallholder households operate resource-poor, climate-exposed production systems in which wild fish and other aquatic animals harvested from rice fields, as well as fish deliberately stocked in paddies, contribute substantially to diets and incomes. Using field surveys, the authors compare the production performance of rice-fish farming with conventional rice field fisheries, examining yields, inputs, practices and constraints. The study suggests a pathway for intensifying rice field fisheries into more productive and climate-resilient integrated rice-fish systems, which can make more efficient use of water and land while diversifying household food sources. Classed as adjacent evidence under Sector Baselines and Statistics, it does not focus exclusively on climate change but provides important context for resilience-oriented aquaculture development. The article helps fill a coverage gap for Lao PDR and is useful for extension services, researchers and development partners interested in promoting integrated rice-fish farming as a practical adaptation strategy in upland Southeast Asia.
Additional Details
- Author(s)
- Chenhong Li; Jiayao Li; Mali Phonexay; Wenbo Zhang; Youdan Li; Zili Zhang
- Type
- Peer-reviewed article – Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
- Aquaculture / Fisheries Dimension
- Integrated rice-fish farming and rice field fisheries in mountainous Northern Laos
- Relevance to Climate Aquaculture
- Adjacent
- Thematic Area
- Sector Baselines & Statistics
- Climate Issue
- Resource-poor, climate-exposed smallholder production systems
- Adaptation / Key Contribution
- Field-survey comparison of production performance; pathway to intensify rice field fisheries into climate-resilient rice-fish systems
- How to Use / Notes
- Fills Lao PDR coverage gap