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CONCLUSION
Rice-fish farming systems have been practiced since the middle of the 19th century.
However, this farming system was traditionally practiced without appropriate
technology, particularly without the construction of trenches. Farmers believed that
trench construction would reduce the yield of rice. This study shows that trenches
have no adverse effect on the production of rice.
After the introduction of the new technology, farmers adopted the technique
of trench construction but paid little attention to the amount of TSP or fingerling
density. The fingerling density farmers used was 569-1,128 fry/ha. The production of
fish ranged from 321 to 464 kg/ha (equivalent rice). This production is much lower
than the level obtained under research conditions (average 1,500 kg/ha equivalent
rice). Therefore, transfer of technology from the research institute to the farmers
should be intensified. This could be done by strengthening the links among
researcher, extension specialists, and farmers through on-farm research.
Fish culture in rice-fish farming systems has several advantages: increased
efficiency of TSP, herbicide, and pesticide use and better use of labor for weeding
and spraying; increased rice and equivalent rice yield, increased net income;
increased consumption of fresh fish; and increased accum~~lation of assets.
The annual yield of rice and equivalent rice per hectare in FS 1 and FS I1
were higher than in FS 111. The annual net income per hectare in 1989-90 of FS I
was 89.5% arld of FS I1 was 60% higher than in FS 111. While in 1990-91, FS I was
87.570 and FS 11 was 50.870 higher than in FS 111.
Because FS I farmers in the irrigated areas cultivated fish three times a year,
their per capita consulnption of fish was relatively higher than the consumption of
FS 11 farmers, who cultivated fish once a year. There were significant changes in
expenditures on food, particularly fresh fish, in all farming system groups. Significant
changes were also observed in expenditures on nonfood items. The share of food
expenditure to total expenditure is higher than nonfood expenditures in FS I and FS
11. However, the opposite is true for consumers in FS 111.
A significant variability in price and income eltlsticities of demand for food
and nonfood items was found in all farming system groups. The demand for
commodities within the food category is price inelastic in all farming groups, but the
demand for nonfood items varies. For example, the demand for education, health
services, and assets in FS I is less elastic than in FS 11 and FS 111.
Rice-fish farming has the potential for large-scale developrnent in Indonesia.
It can be supported by government policy, external sup ort, farmer participation,
and technology development. In spite of the prospects 1 or RFFS, there are certain
constraints. These are inconsistent supply of irrigation water, inadequate availability
of fingerlings, natural hazards, and lack of appropriate processing and marketing
systems of fish. To overcome these problems, local governments (vrovincial and