PERFORMANCE AND PROFITABILITY OF AN INTEGRATED AGRICULTURE AQUACULTURE SYSTEM: RABBIT-FISH-RICE SYSTEM IN RWANDA

Surname:  First name:
Rukera-Tabaro  Simon*1.3; (Oral)
Mutanga,  Onisimo1;
Micha,  Jean-Claude2
 
 
1. Dr. Simon Rukera Tabaro, Senior Lecturer, and Professor Mutanga Onisimo, Full Professor of Environmental Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Faculty of Sciences and Agriculture, Centre for Environment, Agriculture & Development, Fax: 0027 33 260 6118. Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
2. Professor J.C. Micha, Full Professor Emeritus, Environmental Biology and Aquaculture development, University of Namur, Department of Biology, Research Unit in Environmental and Evolutive Biology, rue de Bruxelles, 61 B-5000 Namur, Belgium.
3. Dr Simon Rukera-Tabaro, Senior Lecturer of Aquatic Resources Management, University of Rwanda; College of Agriculture, Animal Science, & Veterinary Medicine;  Department of Wildlife & Aquatic Resource Management Productions, P.O. Box 117, Butare, Rwanda.
*Presentor author:
 Telephone: +250(0)788450031 Email:  simon.rt@gmail.com  
 

Integrated farming is a costly activity that hinders initiatives of rural farmers until they are confident of possible returns and/or profitability.

This study was carried out to evaluate the growth and yield performance and the profitability of rabbits, Nile tilapia, and rice paddy under a rabbit-fish-rice integrated (IRFR) system in tropical semi-intensive farming, and assess the extend integrated aquaculture should benefit to a resource poor fish farmer. The experiment allowed rearing of rabbits over six ponds, three of which were stocked with one fish per m2 and three with three fish per m2, and nine rice fields, of which three received inorganic fertilizers and six received fish ponds effluents. Results revealed that rabbits performed with 89% survival and 57% increase of individual weight in 101 days. Oreochromis niloticus yield was dependent on stocking density, and 1.94 t.ha-1 fish gross yield were obtained with 3 fish.m-2 stocking rate after 112 days without supplemental feed.  Effluents led to higher rice yields in IRFR (5.87 t.ha-1.crop-1) that were not significantly different from yield (5.79 t.ha-1.crop-1) in rice fertilized inorganically. The IRFR system increased the net return up to 596.9% (US$30 - 208) over that of rice monoculture and was fish density dependent.

The IRFR system works well, is readily applicable, and can be promoted for optimum resources use, income generation, and environmentally friendly productions.  

Keywords: Integrated farming system, Rabbit-Fish-Rice system, wastewater reuse, Tilapia yield performance, cost-benefit analysis.