Composite farming brings smile to Rajshahi fish cultivators

RAJSHAHI, Aug 09 (BSS): Composite farming of fish with poultry birds, vegetables and fruits has become a boon for many people in the region contributing a lot towards meeting the gradually increasing demands for animal protein and other nutrition.
Gradual rising of investment to the venture has added a new dimension to the existing economic and other allied fields in the region for the last couple of years.
Ashraf Ali of Bardhanpur village under Durgapur upazila has earned success through composite fish farming in 20 ponds for the last around 20 years. He set up a fish feed factory in his locality with his earnings.
General Secretary of District Fish Farmers Association Sohrab Hossain said the farmers are being habituated to and interested in modern fish farming leaving behind the conventional method.
There is no alternative to coming out from the conventional practice to produce safe and chemical-free fish, he opined.
A range of public and private sector investments and initiatives are needed to realise the potential for growth of this integration.
Public-private partnerships offer potentially important opportunities for pro-poor agricultural development.
Such collaborations have already contributed to food security in many developing countries.
Anwar Hossain, another farmer of Boilsingh area under Bagmara upazila, has become an icon in the field of composite farming of fish, poultry birds and vegetables playing a vital role towards boosting the local economy.
He has integrated fish farming in 22 pounds of more than 1,320 bigha of water bodies and contributes to improving socio-economic conditions.
Hossain said training and technical support would help increase the knowledge of farmers, improve productivity and reduce risks.
The prospects for composite fish culture development in the region are considerable but determination is required to exploit the potential fully.
Shafiqul Islam, a fish farmer of Keshorhat village under Mohanpur upazila, has five big size ponds with around 75 bigha of water area.
He has established chicken and duck farms and vegetable gardens in surrounding areas. He has been supplying live fishes to Dhaka by truck regularly.
Islam earned around Tk 10 million from farming during the last around eight years besides creating employment opportunities for many people.
Many other people have set up small-scale poultry farms and vegetable gardens surrounding their ponds with more investments as they get extra income from the composite farming in the region, including its vast Barind tract, for the last couple of years.