An indigenous duck-fish production system in South India: Impact on nutritional security

Indigenous food production systems involve complex processes of producing food from diversified agro-ecological environments to meet the nutritional requirements of the local people. Women laborers form a loosely structured, informal organization to rear ducks in common property resources, such as communal tanks in south India. Droppings of ducks in the communal tank increase the fish population. The favorable environment for the growth of fish encourages men laborers to spend their leisure time catching fish in the tank. Duck-fish production system contributes significantly to nutritional intake of participant households. Sociocultural and economic constraints on the duck-fish production system are identified. Policy options to sustain the autochthonous duck-fish production system are suggested. (author)