Rice-Fish-Duck Ecosystem: Illustrated Guide for Non-Readers
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
Each step is ONE PICTURE. No reading needed. Look. Copy.
Green = good. Blue = water. Brown = earth/animal.
STEP 1: FLOOD THE PADDY
PICTURE: A field of green rice plants standing in blue water. The water is 15cm deep (shown by a small ruler in the corner). Green checkmark.
MEANING: Fill your rice field with water, about knee-deep. This is the home for fish and ducks.
STEP 2: ADD THE FISH
PICTURE: Same rice field. Now silver fish (tilapia) swim between the rice stalks. Arrows show fish swimming around. The fish are happy.
MEANING: Put 200-300 small tilapia in your rice field. They swim, eat insects, and their poop feeds the rice.
STEP 3: ADD THE DUCK
PICTURE: A white duck walking in the rice field. The duck has its beak near a green bug on a leaf. The bug has a red X. The duck eats it.
MEANING: After rice is 30cm tall, put 20-30 ducks in the field. Ducks eat pests and weeds. Ducks do NOT eat rice plants.
STEP 4: THE MAGIC CIRCLE
PICTURE: A circular diagram with 3 elements and arrows:
- DUCK (top) → arrow down → FISH (bottom left)
- FISH (bottom left) → arrow right → RICE (bottom right)
- RICE (bottom right) → arrow up → DUCK (top)
In the center: a green checkmark and "$0 chemicals" with a red X over a chemical bag.
MEANING: Duck waste feeds fish. Fish waste feeds rice. Rice feeds duck. Circle of life. No chemicals needed. Ever.
STEP 5: TRIPLE HARVEST
PICTURE: Three baskets side by side:
- LEFT: Full of white rice (big basket)
- CENTER: Full of silver fish (medium basket)
- RIGHT: A white duck (live, healthy)
Above: green checkmark. Three money symbols: $ $ $
MEANING: From ONE field, you harvest THREE things: rice + fish + duck. Three foods. Three incomes.
STEP 6: COMPARE
PICTURE: Two fields side by side:
LEFT (green checkmark): Rice + fish + duck field. Three baskets full. Money sign: $2,340. Input cost: $50 (small bag with coins).
RIGHT (red X): Rice only field with chemical bags. One basket. Money sign: $600. Input cost: $200 (big bag with chemical symbol).
MEANING: Rice-fish-duck = more money, less cost. Chemical farming = less money, more cost.
DELIVERY
- WhatsApp: Send 6 images to rice farmers (like Zena in Nampula)
- Hub Poster: Print as A2 at all collection hubs
- Chalkboard: Draw the magic circle (Step 4)
- Voice: "Passo 1: Enche o arroz de agua. Passo 2: Coloca peixe tilapia. Passo 3: Coloca patos. Passo 4: O pato come os insetos..."
FOR ZENA
Zena Raimundo Monteiro in Nampula grows rice. She has M-Pesa 846335747. Tilapia is native to Mozambique. Ducks are common in villages. This system could triple her income while eliminating chemical costs.