Working Landscapes:
Fish in the Fields
Launched in 2012, our J.M.K. Innovation Prize-winning Fish in the Fields program adapts the age-old practice of rice/fish co-cultivation to modern agricultural practices, raising small freshwater fish in winter-flooded rice fields.
“A game changer for people and the planet.”
YVON CHOUINARD
FOUNDER OF PATAGONIA AND RRI BOARD MEMBER
Launched in 2012, our award-winning Fish in the Fields program adapts the age-old practice of rice/fish co-cultivation to modern agricultural practices, raising freshwater fish in winter-flooded rice fields. This innovative approach also creates an additional revenue stream for rural farmers—the sale of fish for feed—while reducing the demand on fish from our oceans.
Our riceland management practice harnesses natural systems to:
• Foster resilience for two essential foods, rice and fish
• Sustain wildlife habitat and build biodiversity
• Improve nutrient/carbon cycling and reduce methane emissions
• Support economic and ecological sustainability of rural communities
The J.M.K. Innovation Prize is awarded biennially to 10 innovators with potentially game-changing ideas to address pressing needs within The J.M. Kaplan Fund’s program areas: supporting vulnerable communities, mitigating climate impacts, and preserving the places communities care about most. The Prize supports pilot projects or nascent efforts, which involve a certain amount of measured risk but may ultimately lead to large-scale transformative results. Learn more about the J.M.K. Innovation Prize and prize winners here. >
Fish in the Fields is honored to be a 2023 J.M.K. Innovation Prize Awardee.
Fish in the Fields has been featured in:
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