Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 249-263 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 260 Digital technologies are especially valuable for high-quality rice production because they reduce unnecessary preventive pesticide applications, improve input efficiency, and help achieve high yield, good grain quality, and environmental protection at the same time. However, several challenges still limit their wider adoption, including high infrastructure costs, poor internet connectivity in rural areas, limited data compatibility, concerns about data privacy and management, and the difficulty of applying these technologies on small family farms (Miller et al., 2025). Future research and extension should therefore focus on developing low-cost sensor networks, edge-computing technologies, shared UAV service platforms for farmer cooperatives, and simple decision-support tools that farmers can easily use. These improvements will help ensure that digital monitoring strengthens eco-friendly IPM rather than becoming another technical barrier. 7.3 Development of ecological farming systems Sustainable rice production in the future requires not only better field-level pest management but also the wider development of ecological farming systems. Diversified and ecological farming practices can improve soil fertility, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem services while maintaining stable rice production. In many cases, these practices create benefits for both agricultural production and the environment. A global analysis showed that diversified rice farming increased biodiversity by 40%, improved economic returns by 26%, and reduced crop damage by 31%. These findings indicate that ecological farming is important not only for environmental protection but also for improving productivity and farm profitability (He et al., 2023). Therefore, future production of high-quality rice should make greater use of intercropping, crop rotation, habitat management, buffer zones, and integrated rice farming systems. Organic rice farming and rice-lotus production systems in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam have demonstrated long-term ecological, social, and economic advantages. These systems improve water quality, increase soil fertility, and support greater diversity of birds, fish, and plants (Tran et al., 2024). Integrated rice-fish-duck farming systems improve nutrient cycling, strengthen ecological interactions, enhance soil and water quality, support microbial and aquatic ecosystems, and increase both total production and farm income (Nayak et al., 2018). Similarly, rice-aquatic animal farming systems reduce environmental pollution, lower greenhouse gas emissions, maintain soil fertility, and protect biodiversity in rice ecosystems. However, wider adoption is still limited by an incomplete understanding of their ecological mechanisms (Ge et al., 2023). Future research should combine ecological studies, region-specific management strategies, and modern technologies to promote the standardization and large-scale application of ecological rice farming systems. Author Contributions Thanks to the reviewers for providing detailed comments and guidance on the manuscript of this study. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The author affirms that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Alam M.Z., Crump A.R., Haque M.M., Islam M.S., Hossain E., Hasan S.B., Hasan S.B., and Hossain M.S., 2016, Effects of integrated pest management on pest damage and yield components in a rice agro-ecosystem in the Barisal region of Bangladesh, Frontiers in Environmental Science, 4: 22. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2016.00022 Ali M.P., Bari M.N., Ahmed N., Kabir M.M.M., Afrin S., Zaman M.A.U., Haque S.S., and Willers J.L., 2017, Rice production without insecticide in smallholder farmer's field, Frontiers in Environmental Science, 5: 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2017.00016 Ali M.P., Bari M.N., Haque S.S., Kabir M.M.M., Afrin S., Nowrin F., Islam M.S., and Landis D.A., 2019, Establishing next-generation pest control services in rice fields: eco-agriculture, Scientific Reports, 9(1): 10180. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46688-6 Ali M.P., Clemente-Orta G., Kabir M.M.M., Haque S.S., Biswas M., and Landis D.A., 2023, Landscape structure influences natural pest suppression in a rice agroecosystem, Scientific Reports, 13(1): 15726. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41786-y
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