Rice Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.5, 267-281 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/rgg 276 creating good conditions for the introduction of diversified operations. In the future, through scientific and technological innovation, more three-dimensional agricultural models like "saffron + rice-duck" can be designed to give full play to the multifunctional attributes of rice fields, promote agricultural efficiency and increase farmers' income. 5.3 Dual-market value: premium rice quality and free-range duck meat production The success of the rice-duck co-cultivation model is inseparable from the simultaneous development and marketization of high-quality rice and duck meat products. Since the rice and duck meat produced by this model are of high quality, pollution-free and nutritious, how to jointly promote these two types of products to the high-end market is the key to improving overall benefits. On the one hand, create a "duck rice" brand. By packaging and promoting rice, highlighting its advantages of growing in the ecological environment of duck fields and not applying pesticides and fertilizers, consumers' awareness of its safety and flavor is enhanced. For example, Xingqing Family Farm registered the "Sufan Youxiang" trademark and made duck rice a well-known regional brand. It has won gold medals at the Zhejiang Agricultural Expo many times and is sold well throughout the province. In Huai'an District, Jiangsu Province, the government took the lead in creating a unified brand image for rice produced by ecological integrated breeding and certified it as green food, thereby increasing market recognition. According to statistics, the market price of high-quality and delicious rice produced by the rice-duck co-cultivation model is generally more than 20% higher than that of ordinary rice. The realization of high premiums provides a direct impetus for farmers to adopt this model. On the other hand, it promotes the commercialization of rice field ducks. The native ducks raised in rice fields are known for their large amount of exercise and firm meat, and can be sold as special livestock and poultry products. Many farmers who raise rice and ducks have promoted freshly slaughtered free-range ducks and duck eggs in rice fields to urban consumers through e-commerce, fresh supermarkets and other channels, which are very popular. Some regions have also developed deep-processed foods using rice field ducks as raw materials, such as Hunan's cured duck and Zhejiang's sauce duck, to further increase the added value of products. The rice-duck model realizes the "two-wheel drive" of plant and animal products, and improves the risk resistance and profitability of the entire industrial chain. It is worth mentioning that the coordinated marketing of rice and duck meat can often promote each other. For example, customers who buy duck rice are likely to be interested in rice field duck meat, and vice versa. Many ecological farms have launched a "rice + duck" combination package, which has achieved good sales results. Shi and Jiang (2022) analyzed that the overall benefits of rice-duck farming can only be maximized when both rice and duck products are sold at a good price. Therefore, when promoting this model, it is necessary to do a good job in market cultivation in both aspects, including quality standard formulation, brand certification, publicity and promotion, etc. In summary, through brand building and market linkage, the improvement of rice quality and the commercialization of duck meat are promoted in a coordinated manner in the rice-duck farming model, forming a benefit superposition of 1+1>2, setting an example for the virtuous cycle of ecological agriculture. 6 Challenges and Strategic Recommendations 6.1 Constraints in labor and mechanization Currently, when rice-duck co-breeding is promoted on a large scale, a prominent problem is the high labor demand and low degree of mechanization. Compared with monoculture, rice-duck co-breeding increases the duck-raising process and requires someone to regularly feed, release and collect ducks, which places additional requirements on labor. There is a relative shortage of modern rural labor, especially young and middle-aged labor, and many farmers are unwilling to try it because they are worried that co-breeding rice and ducks is "too troublesome" and "the cost of watching ducks is high". It is difficult to promote mechanized operations in rice-duck co-breeding (Suh, 2015). At present, most aspects of rice production (seedling transplanting, plant protection, harvesting, etc.) have mechanization plans. However, when ducks are active in the rice fields, some
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