Developing integrated rice-animal farming based on climate and farmers choices

CONTEXT In recent years, integrated rice-animal farming (IRF) has gained global attention as a new rice cultivation model. It involves approaching farming by using economical, ecologically-friendly, and resource-conserving methods. Many farmers do not have a clear understanding of IRF, which is challenging in many countries and regions with different environmental conditions due to the lack of a systematic theoretical knowledge base and supporting technical tools. OBJECTIVE In this paper, to gain a clearer understanding of the current IRF models used in China and other countries, we reviewed the different types of IRF and animals used for co-culture farming by analyzing the economic and ecological benefits and ecological adaptability of IRF, and then assessed the adaptability of various IRF models according to their current application in China. METHODS We reviewed 205 published papers on IRF models, including articles, theses, reports, statistical yearbooks, and other relevant publications, to provide an overview of the diversity, and economic and ecological benefits of IRF models worldwide, and to analyze the ecological adaptability according to the yield characteristics of IRF in China. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the rice-shrimp system, particularly rice-crayfish system, can produce more economic benefits in China. By comparing the economic and ecological benefits of different IRF models, we found that rice-fish and rice-duck systems are suitable for large-scale application because of their high climatic adaptability. The analysis also found that (a) the development and distribution of IRF are influenced by geographical location and climatic conditions in China, (b) the area of IRF is consistent with the distribution of rainfall amount, and (c) co-cultured animals were more affected by temperature than rice growth. This indicates that when developing IRF in a specific region, co-culture animals and ecological adaptability must be considered in advance. SIGNIFICANCE Integrated rice-animal farming is an effective measure to promote the combination of planting, cultivating, and driving sustainable agriculture. Therefore, differences in the development of integrated rice-animal farming among regions must be considered to ensure the successful use of IRF under variable climatic conditions. In this review, the advantages and ecological adaptability of each IRF model are summarized, which can help guide the development of IRF in the future.