From Rice Fields to Shrimp Ponds

From Rice Fields to Shrimp Ponds explores the rapid expansion of shrimp farming along India's western coast and its impact on traditional rice-growing communities. Using Navsari district of Gujarat as a case study, the book examines how the shift from agriculture to aquaculture has transformed land use, livelihoods, and the coastal environment.While shrimp farming has generated economic opportunities, the book highlights its unintended consequences for rice growers, including soil and groundwater salinity, declining agricultural productivity, and loss of cultivable land. Small and marginal farmers, often excluded from the benefits of aquaculture growth, are shown to bear the environmental and social costs of this transition.The book also critically analyses policies and regulatory frameworks governing coastal aquaculture, identifying gaps between policy intent and ground-level implementation. Based on field evidence and farmers' perspectives, it argues for a more balanced and inclusive approach to coastal development-one that protects agricultural livelihoods while promoting environmentally sustainable aquaculture.