©FAO/Stankus Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given. The Lao People's Democratic Republic has rich aquatic biodiversity, and rice fields form a sanctuary for a large number of aquatic organisms, which are essential for food security and nutrition, especially in the most remote rural areas. An FAO survey of 50 families in 5 provinces showed that in 10 days they consumed 200 kg (30 percent) of plants, 326 kg of fish (49 percent) and 138 kg of other animals (21 percent). Through the Regional Rice Initiative, FAO has continued to partner with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to develop recommendations appropriate for poor communities for integrating small-scale aquaculture with rice and vegetable production. A new approach to low-cost intensification of rice-fish systems was developed and tested, as an innovative adaptation of an indigenous method, informed by previous RRI work and the cultural and economic significance of rice-fish systems.

2016

A. Stankus

Agriculture-aquaculture, integrated- (IAA), Aquaculture, Aquaculture, integrated-, Biodiversity, Ricefield aquaculture, Rizipisciculture, System, rice-cum-fish culture-, Agroecology

Savannakhet

South-eastern Asia

Laos