Valuation of Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development of Hani Terraces: A Rice-Fish-Duck Integrated Farming Model.

As a complementary and symbiotic agro-ecological cycle system, a nature-based integrated rice-fish-duck farming ecosystem was developed in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. The main research objective was to evaluate the ecosystem services based on case studies of the Hani integrated rice-fish-duck terraced farming system and determine its potential and its importance as an ecological asset. We developed a valuation model to assess the value of the integrated farming system based on the three aspects of provisioning, regulation and maintenance, and cultural services; we selected eight groups and 10 indictors to evaluate the ecosystem services of the integrated ecosystem in Honghe Hani Rice Terraces was 3.316 billion CNY, of which the provisioning service value was 1.76 billion CNY, the regulation and maintenance service value was 1.32 billion CNY, and the cultural services value was 230.85 million CNY. The evaluation will be useful as a theoretical reference for poverty alleviation policy makers in similar poverty-stricken areas, enabling them to better protect and promote this mode of farming and further promote the protection of the natural environment and cultural heritage alongside the sustainable development of natural resources and human well-being.

The impact of COVID-19 on aquaculture in China and recommended strategies for mitigating the impact.

We carried out a preliminary investigation to study the impact of COVID-19 on aquaculture in China and identify the strategies and measures that have been taken by the Chinese Government. The investigation involved questionnaire surveys designed for all stakeholders along the industrial chain, including grow-out farmers, seed producers, fish processors, fish traders, and feed companies engaged in the catfish sector in Hubei Province and the tilapia sector in Guangdong Province during the strict period of control and after these control measures were lifted. We also attempted to summarize the government interventions and measures taken by different stakeholders along the value chain to minimize the damage caused by COVID-19 and support the recovery of different sectors in the aquaculture industry. We found that due to delayed harvesting, fish stocks were held-up in ponds and normal farming was interrupted. Farmers and traders were more severely impacted by the pandemic than other sectors. Furthermore, a series of strategies and measures are recommended to cope with the pandemic and other similar risks in the future. We expect that this study will provide good evidence for international societies to support the aquaculture industry in minimizing the impact of the pandemic and the rapid recovery of the industry in the post-pandemic period.