Success Stories In Asian Aquaculture - Library - Network of ...

30 M. Weimin2.8.2 Improvement of Women’s Social StatusDevelopment of rice-fish culture can also contribute significantly to improvement ofsocial status of women. Rice–fish culture production is a typical production systemthat provides equal opportunities for participation of both men and women. In practice,most of the daily management work of rice–fish culture is mainly carried outby women. Some housewives are involved in selling of the products. This significantlyimproves the participation of women in production activities and strengthenstheir role in household livelihood.2.8.3 Promoting Social StabilityRice–fish culture development has contributed to overall social stability in China.China is currently facing a huge population pressure. The surplus labor power andlimited means of making good living in rural areas have stimulated a rapid flow ofrural populations to urban areas. Urbanization can only be a gradual process in alarge developing country like China because rapid movement of population fromrural to urban areas may cause instability in both areas. Often the urban areas donot have the capacity to accommodate a rapid inflow of rural population.Development of rice–fish culture with sound economic returns provides rural farmerswith an alternative means to significantly improve their living standards, andhence, induce them to stay in rural areas. It can ease the pressure on urban areascaused by the rapid migration of population from rural to urban, thereby contributingto overall social stability in China.In addition, production activities involved in rice–fish culture enhance thegood living style of the people in rural areas. It is a fact that crop farming activitieson limited land require very limited labor inputs, so that surplus labor isavailable for other uses in rural agricultural communities. If this surplus labor isnot effectively utilized, there is a risk of leading to unhealthy activities of ruralpeople such as gambling which could create social problems. As rice–fish cultureactivities require more labor input for daily management, rural farmers canbe better engaged in a rural economic activity. It, therefore, assists in divertingrural people from unhealthy activities to productive activities which can improvetheir living.2.9 Contribution to Food Security and SafetyAs an efficient production system of high quality food products, rice–fish culture ismaking substantial contribution to national food security and safety in China.