permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

Rice growing in polycultural aquaponics system in Indonesia

"In the lush paddy fields of Indonesia, where the lifeblood of rice demands vast quantities of water, farmers have ingeniously turned this necessity into a thriving ecosystem. They didn't just cultivate rice; they cultivated fish too.

Imagine this: fish darting through the fields, not as accidental visitors but as deliberate residents. Farmers introduced them in large numbers, releasing them into the water where rice plants sway in the breeze. It wasn't just a symbiotic relationship; it was a game-changer.
#RiceFishCulture emerged as a brilliant solution. Here's how it worked: first, the fish became natural pest controllers, gobbling up insects, algae, and pests that would otherwise ravage the rice crop. As they fed, they inadvertently pruned the plants, promoting healthier growth.
But that's not all. Their waste, rich in nutrients, became a natural fertilizer, enriching the soil without the need for synthetic additives. And as the fish thrived, so did the farmers, who could harvest them for food or profit.

The result? Land productivity soared by a staggering 20%, surpassing conventional limits. Fields teemed not just with rice but also with bountiful fish stocks, a testament to human ingenuity blending with nature's cycles."

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Lawrence F. London, Jr.
lfljvenaura@gmail.com