Crop-Fish Integration through Land Shaping Models for Enhancing Farm Income under Eastern Coastal Region of India

In the coastal region, farmers view their farming operation as a system in which crop and fisheries are integral parts. The paper has studied the impact of some land-shaping interventions implemented through crop-fish integration. The paper has found that these land shaping models — farm pond, paddy-cum-fish, deep-furrow & high ridge and broad bed & furrow system — have created the land suitable for growing multiple crops and rearing fish. Financial analysis of these land shaping models has indicated that investment on such interventions are financially viable (IRR, 36-48%; NPV, ` 0.97-3.67 lakhs; BCR, 1.20-1.58; and payback period, 1.41-2.13 years) and attractive proposition for the coastal region in Sundarbans and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. For out-scaling of these technologies on a wider scale, there is a need to address some socio-economic constraints and provide policy support. The proposition of crop-fish integration in agriculture through these land-shaping models has been found quite suitable for enhancing the income and employment in the costal region of India.