Significance, effectiveness, and high-quality development strategies of ecological cultivation and aquaculture of paddy fields in southern China

As a way of efficient utilization of resources and eco-environment protection, ecological cultivation and aquaculture of paddy fields in southern China is of great significance to ensure food security, increase farmers’ income, and improve the dietary structure. By means of document analysis and summary induction, this paper analyzes the development significance, effectiveness, problems, and strategies of ecological cultivation and aquaculture in southern China. In recent years, ecological cultivation and aquaculture of paddy fields have developed rapidly in southern China. In 2022, the paddy fields for ecological cultivation and aquaculture reached an area of nearly 2.5 million hm² in southern China, with an aquatic product yield of over 3.7 million t. The ecological cultivation and aquaculture of paddy fields adopt various models across southern China, achieving significant economic, social, and ecological benefits. Currently, problems still exist in the ecological cultivation and aquaculture of paddy fields in southern China, including a low proportion of area with ecological cultivation and aquaculture in paddy field area in southern China, a certain degree of environmental pollution in some areas, resource damage and destruction due to unreasonable ecological cultivation in paddy fields, and hazard to food security because of uncoordinated rice cultivation and aquaculture in some areas. In the future, in order to promote the high-quality development of ecological cultivation and aquaculture of paddy fields in southern China towards large-scale, green, and standardized production with industrial integration, brand leadership, and digital renovation, this paper proposes the following countermeasures: 1) ensuring the grain area to maintain food security; 2) strictly managing resources to maintain resource security; 3) strictly controlling chemical input to maintain ecological safety; (4) optimizing the model of ecological cultivation and aquaculture of paddy fields to improve comprehensive benefits; 5) strengthening technological research and development to provide supporting technologies; 6) fostering new farmers to achieve high-quality development.