A farmer in Jilin Province, China, has discovered a solution by utilizing a “force” of thousands of ducks to eliminate weeds in her rice fields.
On June 28, RT reported that instead of using chemicals or spending time and effort pulling weeds by hand, the farmer named Huang allowed her large flock of ducks to eat the weeds while keeping her rice intact.
Another flock of ducks working in the rice fields of Guangdong Province, China. (Photo: Food and Land Use Coalition)
Huang noticed that the hungry ducks were not particularly interested in the rice in her fields. Instead, they focused solely on the weeds. This not only helped Huang clear the weeds for free but also provided the ducks with a hearty meal.
The ducks not only helped manage the weeds but also provided free fertilizer for the fields from their waste.
Within a few weeks, the fields were free of weeds, and Huang’s rice began to flourish.
This method also promotes biodiversity by allowing the ducks to contribute to the ecosystem.
According to National Geographic, the technique known as duck farming integrated with rice cultivation is not new. The practice of raising ducks in irrigated rice fields has been documented in China for about 600 years.
Chinese farmers have implemented this technique for centuries until they shifted towards quicker solutions like synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and chemical pesticides. However, the use of these chemicals has posed an increasing threat to the environment in recent years. Consequently, some farmers have returned to these ancient, environmentally friendly practices.
Not only in China, but farmers in Japan, Iran, and France are also transitioning to this method.
