Rice farming covers nearly one-third of the arable land of Asia. The study shows results that are useful for policymakers wishing to promote new diversification opportunities in the crop sector. It describes some of the complexities in understand farming households and farm labor use and how people make decisions on what crops to grow, how to allocate family labor and how best to feed the family. The study goes beyond fish farming in rice fields to include the role of naturally occurring aquatic organisms in rice fields such as frogs, snails and wild fish.