Ezekiel NdundaGladys GathuruWambugu, Mercy Muthoni2022-09-082022-09-082022http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/24166A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for Award of the Degree of Master of Environmental Science in the School of Environmental Studies of Kenyatta University, March, 2022In Asia and West Africa, there is growing evidence of the practicality of using fish into rice production. Nevertheless, locally, in Kenya, have not significantly addressed integrating fish into rice farming for economic and ecological efficiency at Mwea irrigation scheme, Kirinyaga County, thus the necessity for this research to remedy the foreseen research gap. The overall aim of this study was to assess the economic and ecological viability of incorporating fish into rice growing in Kirinyaga County, Kenya's Mwea Irrigation Scheme and specifically; determine the ecological benefit of integrating fish into paddies on rice yield, evaluate the economic benefit of introducing fish into rice paddies, compare the physical- chemical quality of the water in the experimental paddy fields. The research utilized randomized block design in the rice paddies in Mwea irrigation scheme. The investigation included three distinct treatments (each18m2 depth with a ditch of 0.5m deep and 1m2 at its middle). While the very first treatments included rice and stocked with fish fertilized chemical fertilizers, the second one included rice, fish and chemical fertilization and supplementary feeding used for fertilization while the last treatment was maintained as the control containing rice only. Each treatment was in triplicate. Rice seedlings of the Pishori kind were planted in the paddy areas. Fish fingerlings were introduced in the experimental fields fourteen (14) days after rice transplantation at a stocking density of three (3) fish per m2. Data on physical-chemical parameters of water was collected and analyzed on weekly basis using the Standard Methods of analysis for examination of water. Data on rice yield and fish was analyzed using quantitative analysis to produce descriptive statistics after three months. The study found that; integrating fish into rice farming has; an economic value of increasing rice yields (by 3.70%) and fish yields (increase by 47.06%) and it as well significantly improves the quality of water. Using ANOVA the study established that phosphates differed statistically across the treatments (p =0.647,α =0.05), Nitrate levels varied significantly between the treatments (p<0.001,α =0.05,independent t-test).Ammonia had a significant difference across the treatment groups (p>0.05,α =0.05), Nitrogen had a significant difference across the treatment groups (p>0.05,α =0.05), .There were however insignificant difference on temperature between the groups (p =0.729,α =0.05), dissolved oxygen had slight significant variation (p>0.05), salinity showed narrow variation however the variations were not statistically significant (p>0.05), Conductivity levels varied significantly between the 3 treatments (p= 0.361,α =0.05,), a significantly electrical conductivity across treatment group ((p<0.001,α =0.05), total dissolved solids varied significantly across the groups (p<0.001,α =0.05).The study recommends rice farmers in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, Kenya to adopt integrated fish-rice farming. This will diversify their source of income by increasing proficiency in fish farming in their rice farms for more fish yields and increased rice harvest. Farmers will reduce use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers to diversify productivity of the soil. They will also protect the soil by increasing the fish culturing to its optimum, increase their use of biological control of pests and reduce the chemical pesticides and fertilizers to increase the water quality, avoid soil pollution and provide a healthy environment.enEcologicalEconomic BenefitsIntegrating FishRice FarmingMwea Irrigation SchemeKirinyaga CountyKenyaThesis