About Integrated Fish Farming

The principle of integrated fish farming involves farming of fish along with livestock or/and agricultural crops. This type of farming offers great efficiency in resource utilization, as waste or byproduct from one system is effectively recycled. It also enables effective utilization of available farming space for maximizing production. The rising cost of protein-rich fish food and chemical fertilizers as well as the general concern for energy conservation have created awareness in the utilization of rice and other crop fields and livestock wastes for fish culture.

Fish culture in combination with agriculture or livestock is a unique and lucrative venture and provides a higher farm income, makes available a cheap source of protein for the rural population, increases productivity on small land-holdings and increases the supply of feeds for the farm livestock. The scope of integrated farming is considerably wide. Ducks and geese are raised in pond, and pond-dykes are used for horticultural and agricultural crop products and animal rearing. The system provides meat, milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables, mushroom, fodder and grains, in addition to fish. Hence this system provides better production, provides more employment, and improves socio-economic status of farmers and betterment of rural economy.

Integrated fish farming can be broadly classified into two, namely: Agriculture-fish and Livestock-fish systems. Agri-based systems include rice-fish integration, horticulture-fish system, mushroom-fish system, seri-fish system. Livestock-fish system includes cattle-fish system, pig-fish system, poultry-fish system, duck-fish system, goat-fish system, rabbit-fish system.

Source:

http://www.vuatkerala.ofile:///E:/Animal%20Husbandry/TNAU-Agri%20Tech%20Portal/ani_chik_grower&layer%20mgt.html

http://www.vuatkerala.org/static/eng/advisory/fisheries/culture_fisheries/integrated_farming/introduction.htm