Co-designing new agroecology pattern with farmers: a case study of rice-fish farming in Qingtian

Rice-fish farming is a sustainable agroecological model that benefits the environment, reduces chemical use, and potentially increases yields. However, the low willingness of farmers to adopt this practice creates an obstacle to its wider application. To address this issue, we collaborate with the local government, engaging farmers and other stakeholders to identify challenges and update an existing rice-fish farming method through a co-design process for better adoption. The study was conducted in Qingtian, where the FAO certified the long-established rice-fish farming model as one of the earliest GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Cultural Heritage Systems), demonstrating its significant ecological, economic, and cultural value. First, the co-design group identified the challenges in the practice of rice-fish farming. Second, multiple co-design workshops were organised to collect views and suggestions from different stakeholders. Finally, on-farm experiments and semi-structured interviews were employed to evaluate the solution. The results show a significant increase in farmers' willingness to adopt the improved rice-fish farming system and greater recognition and acceptance of agroecology.