Fish, fields, and feminism: How Apatani women sustain Ziro’s aquaculture in Arunachal Pradesh

In the terraced paddy fields of Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Subansiri district, the tribal Apatani community has nurtured a unique farming tradition that blends rice cultivation with fish rearing. Known locally as Aji-Nii, this centuries-old practice turns paddy fields into fishponds, where indigenous rice varieties like Emo, Mipya, and Pyaping grow alongside common carp (Cyprinus carpio), a fish highly valued in the local markets. 

For generations, this farming system has fed families, conserved biodiversity, and demonstrated how people and nature can thrive together. But here’s another remarkable detail: nearly 80 percent of the farmers keeping this tradition alive are women.

A recent study by Ayan Samaddar and colleagues, published in the Aquaculture Reports journal, highlights the ecological and social benefits of the indigenous rice-fish farming system known locally as Aji-Nii. Conducted in Ziro-I and Ziro-II blocks, the research shows how Aji-Nii continues to secure food supplies, empower women, preserve biodiversity, and carry forward the community’s traditional ecological knowledge.

A living laboratory of sustainability

Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, home to the Apatani tribe, has been recognised by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). This recognition comes from the valley’s unique way of farming that combines rice cultivation with fish rearing—a system that has maintained ecological balance for centuries without relying on chemical inputs.

Even today, despite pressures from commercial farming, migration, and changing climate, the tradition continues. According to the study, 73% of farmers in Ziro-I and 82% in Ziro-II still practice some form of rice–fish farming, either in rain-fed paddy fields or in small homestead ponds. The method is simple yet effective: farmers dig trenches along the edges of paddy fields. These trenches provide shelter for fish when water levels drop and also help improve water quality.

At the start of the Kharif season (the monsoon cropping season), farmers introduce fingerlings—mainly common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)—into the fields. After about 4–6 months, the fish are ready for harvest, alongside the rice.

The results are impressive. Farmers get 350–500 kilograms of fish per hectare per season, along with rice yields that are similar to what monocrop farmers achieve. This means the integrated model delivers a much higher economic return per unit of land. And it does so with a very low ecological footprint—no chemical fertilisers or pesticides are used, and the same water nourishes both rice and fish.

Women at the helm

One of the most notable findings of the study is the central role women play in aquaculture among the Apatani community. Unlike in most parts of India, where farming decisions are largely male-dominated, Apatani women actively take part in fish stocking, feeding, harvesting, and even pond construction. In Ziro-II, almost 46% of fish farmers were women, many of whom manage aquaculture alongside household work and paddy cultivation.

Researchers observed that women’s involvement has led to better record-keeping, fairer household nutrition, and stronger attention to sustainability. This role is especially significant as the state promotes income diversification to help double farmers’ earnings. Compared to wage migration or cash cropping, aquaculture offers a safer, low-cost, and environmentally friendly option.

Women’s self-help groups (SHGs) have also started collective fish farming, where labour, input costs, and harvests are shared. This reduces market risks, builds social capital, and strengthens the Apatani tradition of community cooperation.

Pond culture on the rise

While rice-fish integration remains the backbone of the region’s aquaculture model, pond-based aquaculture is emerging as a complementary strategy, particularly among younger farmers and returning migrants. The study documents over 1,200 functional fish ponds in the Ziro Valley area, many of them supported by the Department of Fisheries under state aquaculture schemes.

Notably, pond fish are not just an income generator; they improve dietary diversity in an area where meat and poultry are often seasonal or culturally restricted. The study points out that fish consumption in Ziro (10–12 kg per capita annually) exceeds the state average, contributing to better nutrition outcomes, especially for children and women.

Challenges in a changing climate

Despite its promise, the aquaculture sector in Ziro Valley is not without constraints. The study highlights key barriers such as:

• Poor seed availability: Farmers rely heavily on fingerlings transported from Assam or Meghalaya, raising costs and mortality.

• Limited technical training: Many traditional farmers lack updated knowledge on pond management, water quality, and disease control.

• Seasonal water scarcity: Climate variability is affecting the timing and quantity of monsoon flows, which are critical for both paddy and pond-based systems.

• Market access: With limited cold storage and transport infrastructure, farmers often sell fish locally at sub-optimal prices.

Additionally, the traditional irrigation systems—based on gravity flow from hill streams—are under stress from deforestation and unplanned road construction. “There is an urgent need to integrate watershed management with aquaculture planning,” the authors suggest.

Policy imperatives

The findings underscore the need for multi-level policy interventions to harness the full potential of integrated aquaculture in Ziro and beyond. Some key recommendations include:

• Strengthening hatcheries and seed banks within Arunachal Pradesh to reduce dependency on other states.

• Creating decentralised training modules through Krishi Vigyan Kendras and community resource persons.

• Linking aquaculture with nutrition programmes, especially in tribal and remote schools under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme.

• Incorporating aquaculture into MGNREGA works to support pond construction and maintenance.

• Expanding women-centric SHG financing for fish farming through targeted microcredit and revolving fund mechanisms.

There is also scope to build eco-tourism around fish culture, with demonstrations of Apatani paddy-fish systems for visitors and school children. This could revitalise local pride and create parallel income streams without ecological degradation.

A model worth scaling

In an age of agrarian distress, water stress, and mounting food insecurity, the Ziro Valley offers an instructive model rooted in tradition yet oriented towards the future. Its rice-fish agroecology is not just a cultural relic; it is a resilient production system that meets multiple SDGs: zero hunger (SDG 2), clean water (SDG 6), gender equality (SDG 5), and climate action (SDG 13).

What makes this model truly inspiring is its ability to combine indigenous wisdom with modern science. The Apatani system reminds us that food systems can be diversified without degradation and that women farmers, too often seen as secondary actors, are central to transforming India’s aquaculture narrative. As policymakers look eastward for replicable and sustainable aquaculture models, they would do well to look to Ziro—not just for its scenic beauty, but for the quiet revolution unfolding in its waters.