At short term, yes, at least until a next rice harvest. Could be alleviated in part if fish invade the areas and start reproducing massively; freshwater ecosystems can be very productive.
I don't know the area, but if the climate allows it, their best bet could be to rely on edible aquatic crops that typically grow very fast. Lotus rhizomes are edible, same as Typha stems or the seeds rich on starch of Trapa bicornis that taste like sweet chestnuts. Must be cooked to remove their toxins (and eventual parasites) before eaten.
I don't know the area, but if the climate allows it, their best bet could be to rely on edible aquatic crops that typically grow very fast. Lotus rhizomes are edible, same as Typha stems or the seeds rich on starch of Trapa bicornis that taste like sweet chestnuts. Must be cooked to remove their toxins (and eventual parasites) before eaten.