For centuries across Asia, farmers have combined rice cultivation with raising ducks. This creates a system that benefits both agriculture and the environment. Known as aigamo in Japan, duck-rice farming can reduce the need for herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer. It also gives rice farmers an additional source of income.

How Duck-Rice Farming Works

Duck-rice agriculture works by introducing young ducks into flooded fields after rice has been planted but before the crop fully covers the paddies. Because the ducks are still small and the rice plants are developing, the ducks generally ignore the crop, instead feeding on weeds and pests that threaten it.

The system lowers reliance on chemical inputs. Ducks help control pests and weeds, while their manure fertilizes the rice plants. That reduces the need for artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides that can harm surrounding ecosystems. Some farmers also incorporate fish and aquatic plants such as Azolla, or water fern, creating a small, productive ecosystem that further supports pest control and soil fertility.

By the time the rice plants mature enough to attract the ducks’ interest, the crop is well established and able to dominate the paddies, outcompeting weeds and pests. The ducks can then provide meat and eggs as secondary income streams. In systems that include fish, farmers may gain yet another marketable product or supplementary food source.

The United States as a Rice Producer

Although duck-rice farming is widely practiced across parts of Asia, it remains unfamiliar in the United States. The U.S. is one of the world’s leading rice exporters. But duck is not a major part of the average American diet compared with countries such as China, where duck consumption is much higher.

For farmers seeking more sustainable production methods, duck-rice farming offers a practical model. It reduces dependence on labor-intensive weeding, costly chemical inputs, and environmentally damaging practices while creating additional revenue opportunities. This ancient approach continues to align with modern ideas of organic agriculture, integrated farming, and permaculture.