Food

• Jamalpur is a region in northern Bangladesh where many farmers are subsistence farmers, growing enough food for themselves and their families
• Rice and wheat farming are most common in Jamalpur, Bangladesh
• Practical Action has been supporting farmers in Jamalpur, Bangladesh by introducing rice-fish culture, a new type of farming
• Paddy field


  A level, flooded area where rice grows
• Rice-fish culture


  Introducing small fish into paddy fields to provide natural fertiliser, eat insect pests, and increase yields by 10%
• Fish in rice-fish farming provide extra protein in the farmer's diet
• Fish in rice-fish farming help circulate oxygen around the paddy field
• Rice-fish farming in Bangladesh is sustainable as it does not involve artificial fertilisers or pesticides, expensive equipment, or external expertise, and is not harmful to the environment
• Steps in rice-fish cultivation


  Identify a flood-resistant site; 2. Build a dyke around the field; 3. Dig a ditch for fish during the dry season; 4. Plant rice in rows and fill 50% of the ditch with water; 5. Purify water with lime; 6. Increase water level when rice shoots, release fish, and raise water level as both fish and rice grow; 7. Harvest rice after 4-5 months and collect fish from the ditch