Integrated Farming System Model in Wet land ecosystem. The concept of sustainability is an important element in the development of integrated systems. “Integrated Farming Systems (IFS)” hold special position as in this system nothing is wasted, the byproduct of one system becomes the input for other. Sustainable development in agriculture must include integrated farming system with efficient soil, water crop and pest management practices, which are environmentally friendly and cost effective. Integrated farming system are often less risky, if managed efficiently, they benefit from synergisms among enterprises, diversity produce environmental soundness. The integrated system is the combination that increases crop yields, soil biological activity and nutrient recycling, helps in efficient use of water, reduces pest and diseases, intensifies land use, improving profits and can therefore help reduce poverty and malnutrition and strengthen environmental sustainability. IFS also play an important role in improving the soil health by increasing the nutritional value of soil.  IFS model of Crop + Fish + Poultry were taken for this study.

Crop: Area of 80 cents is taken for IFS where paddy variety is Andhra Ponni is cultivated. The by-products are grains used as food for farmers, paddy straw can be used as feed for livestock, used in mushroom production. In addition to this rice bran and rice husk can be used as feed for cattle, poultry and fish. The benefits of the use of livestock manure in crop production are improvements in soil physical properties and the provision of N, P, K and other mineral nutrients. The application of livestock manure increases soil organic matter content, and this leads to improved water infiltration and water holding capacity as well as an increased cation exchange capacity. The dung from cattles can be used in biogas production. Manure and urine raise the pH level and accelerate the decomposition of organic matter and termite activity.

Fish : (Catla +Roghu+ Mirgal + Kendai+ Pulkendai) 100 fingerlings were left in the fish pond and these fish fingerlings feed on weeds present in rice field and reduce the weed incidence. Moreover, fish eat flies, snails and insects, and can help to control malaria mosquitoes and water-borne diseases. Fish play a significant role in controlling aquatic weeds and algae that carry diseases, act as hosts for pests and compete with rice for nutrients. Interactions of fish and rice also help lower production costs because insects and pests are consumed by the fish. The bio-control of rice pests is one of the prominent features of rice–fish farming which further minimize the use of pesticides for production of rice crop.

Poultry :Varnaraja 20 birds per cage. Dimension of poultry cage is 6m×4m×3 m. The waste from poultry serve as feed for fish and manure for the crop. We get additional income from egg and chicken.

IFS is also an eco – friendly approach in which waste of one enterprise becomes the input of another thus making efficient use of resources. It helps in improving the soil health, weed and pest control, increase water use efficiency and maintains water quality. As this system minimizes the use of harmful chemical fertilizers, weed killers and pesticides and thus safeguards the environment from the adverse effects.

Comparison between IFS and normal cultivation: