admin | July 13, 2015
This week’ story from Liberia focuses on fish farms as a source of income and nutrition. The Script of the week offers advice on how to integrate raising fish and growing rice.
Integrated rice and fish farming means that farmers grow rice and raise fish in the same field, at the same time, in the same water.
In Baguinéda, Mali, integrated rice and fish farming started in 2009. Baguinéda has many assets which make it suitable for rice-fish farming, including the know-how of the local experts, facilities for producing fingerlings, and an agricultural research centre.
This script tells the story of Mohamed Farota, a farmer who raises a lot of fish and grows a lot of rice. We also hear from Mamadou Traoré, who talks about the importance of rice-fish farming in ensuring food security.
You could use this script as research material or as inspiration for creating programs on integrating fish with rice or other crops in your country.
Talk to farmers who raise fish with other crops. You might ask them:
- How long have you integrated fish and crops?
- How has raising fish affected family nutrition?
- How has it affected family income?
What are some of the barriers to raising fish in your area? Have local fish farmers found solutions to these challenges? What kind of expert support is available in your area?