Enhancing Farmers’ Income through Integrated Fish-Duck-Horticulture Farming in Udalguri District, Assam

Abstract

Introduction

With shrinking landholdings and falling returns from conventional farming, integrated farming systems offer small and marginal farmers a promising alternative. The fish-duck-horticulture system works on the principle of resource recycling and biological synergy.

Traditional fish farming in Udalguri district had suffered from poor use of inputs, low productivity and uncertain markets. To address these problems, KVK Udalguri, Lalpool (AAU) demonstrated the integrated model on farmers’ fields in four villages to assess its income potential and viability under field conditions:

• Hirabari
• Kacharitol
• Jhargaon
• Deurigaon

KVK Intervention

The model was introduced step by step on selected farmers’ fields over three consecutive years, from 2017 to 2020.

• Fish: stunted yearling fingerlings of catla, rohu, mrigal, grass carp, common carp and silver carp stocked at 6,000 per ha in the ratio 2 : 2.5 : 1.5 : 1.5 : 1 : 1.5
• Ducks: Chara Chambelli ducks housed in bamboo sheds built over the pond, so droppings fall straight into the water
• Horticulture: Malbhog banana and papaya grown on the pond dykes
• Training: pond and duck shed management, feed formulation, water quality monitoring, and integrated pest and nutrient management for dyke crops

Results: Fish

Fish yield in the integrated ponds averaged 38.6 q/ha over three years, about 61 per cent higher than the 23.95 q/ha under traditional practice. Fish also grew much bigger. Catla stocked at 90 g reached 920 g, compared with 530 g in traditional ponds.

Results: Ducks and Horticulture

Ducks in the integrated system weighed 1.80 kg at 72 weeks and laid 165 eggs per bird, against 1.45 kg and 58 eggs under traditional rearing. The pond dykes, which would otherwise lie unused, produced 56 q/ha of papaya and 19 q/ha of banana.

Economic Impact

The integrated system needed a higher investment of Rs 2.59 lakh per ha, compared with Rs 0.84 lakh for traditional fish farming, but it paid back many times over. It gave a gross return of Rs 6.99 lakh and a net return of Rs 4.40 lakh per ha, nearly three times the net return of Rs 1.54 lakh from traditional practice. The benefit-cost ratio rose from 1.83 to 2.69.

Impact on Farmers

The benefits were seen in all four villages. Farmers who earlier depended only on traditional fish farming gained a more secure income from several products, including fish, duck meat, eggs and fruit. Recycling farm waste made better use of every input, and production now continues through the year. Families also eat a more varied and nutritious diet.