Valuation of ecosystem service of rice-fish coculture in Maubin District, Myanmar

In Myanmar, the advancement of the integrated rice-fish farming system legs behind rice monoculture farming, and there exists limited awareness of its advantages. Ecosystem services (ES) valuation plays a crucial role in integrated environmental decision-making, promoting sustainable agriculture practices, facilitating land-use planning, and ensuring food security in rural areas. Assessing the ES value in Delta region of Myanmar where rice-fish coculture is extensively practiced is essential for understanding the level of ES benefits derived from this farming system. The objective of this study is to promote the development of the rice-fish coculture system in delta region by estimating its ES value. We conducted a comprehensive examination of the Direct, Indirect, Option and Existence ES value of the rice-fish and rice monoculture in Maubin District, an area where rice-fish development research is being actively carried out within the delta region. The results revealed that the ES value of rice-fish coculture ecosystems in the study area was amounted to 28,588 US$/hm²/year. This value was 2.82% higher than rice monoculture system. Additionally, the rice-fish coculture system yielded product provisional values averaging 1,275 US$/hm²/year, representing a significant increase of 40.3% compared to rice monoculture farming. Our study shows that the adoption of rice-fish coculture farming system not only improves the ES value of the delta region, but also supports food security and socio-economic well-being. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights for policymakers on effective management policies for future development of the rice-fish coculture ecosystem.