NAGAON: With the objective to support capacity building and skill development of unemployed youth through training & demonstration, to encourage fish farmers to maximise their earnings through adoption of small scale Biofloc Fish Farming (BFF) and to promote high yielding intensive fish farming in small sized areas, NABARD has supported the establishment of two BFF Units in Nagaon district. The project is implemented by the College of Fisheries (CoF), AAU, Raha. One unit is installed in the premises of the CoF, Raha and the 2nd unit is installed at Gramsri Krishak Sangha (GKS), Garajan, Rupahihat. Implementation of the project is collectively supervised by DDM-NABARD, Rajendar Perna and Kaustubh Bhagawati, Assistant. Professor, CoF.
Both these units are now operational and are undertaking stocking and cultivation of variety of fish like Singhi, Magur, Koi, Amur Carp etc. These units are also available for demonstration, exposure and learning purpose.
Under the project, special training was organised by NABARD and CoF for local educated youth and fish farmers, wherein the participants were guided regarding selection of different species of fish, identification and management of diseases, economics of BFF, setting up enterprises etc.
Biofloc is a protein based organic matter which is considered as a microbial protein for fish. It is an aggregate of algae, beneficial bacteria, protozoa, living and dead particulate matter that floats on water. It is a protein rich food for fish formed as a conversion of unused feed and excreta into a natural food in a culture system. The BFF technology is as an environment friendly aquaculture technique based on in situ microorganism production. It involves the utilization of microbial processes within the tank/ pond itself to provide food resources for culture organism.
The Biofloc culture tanks are generally circular in shape with a diameter of 4 meter that can hold around 10,000 litres of water. The tanks are generally made of tarpaulin plastic sheets of 450-650 GSM. The water depth in the tanks is maintained upto 1.0-1.5 meter. To withstand high water pressure, the tarpaulin sheets are tied to a circular iron mesh frame and the bottom of the tank is cemented & lined with tarpaulin. To remove the sludge, an outlet pipe is fitted at the center of the tank.
Recently, a team of R-TAG Officers from NABARD consisting of S S Waghode and Aishwarya Priyadarshi along with the DDM Rajendar Perna visited both these BFF Units and had interactions with the Dean, Professors, Associate Professors of the CoF and the representatives of the GKS, Garajan regarding the utility of the BFF units and their replicability. During the discussions, Assistant Professor Kaustubh Bhagawati briefed the NABARD Officials that under project, so far, CoF has trained around 165 fish farmers of Nagaon and Morigaon districts and that around 145 school and college students have visited the BFF Units on study visits.
These units are becoming a profitable venture and are encouraging youths to take up this low-cost fish farming enterprise. He further informed that the BFF Unit at CoF has been included under the revenue generation model of Revolving Fund scheme of AAU, so that this BFF system can be disseminated among more number of marginal fish farmers, in addition to generating substantial revenue for continuing the unit.
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