SUSTAINABLE CARP AND NUTRIENT RICH SMALL FISH

FARMING FOR HOUSEHOLD INCOME GENERATION AND NUTRITION

Sunila Rai1 and Anu Toivonen2

1Associate Professor/Assistant Dean (Academic) Agriculture and Forestry University

Chitwan, Nepal

Twinning Support to Women Fish Farmers’ organizations in Nepal

Phase I

(March 1, 2012 – August 31, 2013)

Twinning Partners

1. Rural Integrated Development Society

2. Finnish Fish Farmers’ Association

Supporting Technical Partner Institutions

1. Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science

2. District Agriculture Development Office

Project Objectives

a. to develop women fish farmers` organizations in

Nepal

b. to improve nutrition of women and children c. to improve income generation among women fish

farmer households

Project site

KAILALI

53 Women farmers 70% Tharu women

Carp polyculture sustainable but doesn’t favour

household nutrition because carp • >55% carp is sold to earn income • Low nutrient value compare to small fish

Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc content in four common Small Indigenous Fish Species (SIS) of Terai, Nepal

*Roos et al. 2007

SIS Vitamin A (RAE/100g raw,

clean parts)

Iron (mg/100g raw,

clean parts)

Zinc (mg/100g raw,

clean parts)

Dedhuwa (Esomus danricus) 107.5 6.2 4.5

Faketa (Barilius sp.) 84.5 1.0 3.6

Mara (Amblypharyngodon mola) 685.5 2.4 4.3

Pothi (Puntius sophore) 56.0 3.1 4.2

Carp Mrigal (Cirrhinus cirrhosus)* < 30 2.5 -

Silver carp (Hypophthamichyths molitrix)* < 30 4.4 -

Farming system

1. Carp-Small fish polyculture

2. Carp-Small fish polyculture with substrate

Household Income

Household consumption

Vitamin A ++ Iron +

Household nutrition

Activities

Pond construction (approx. 100 m2) 53 new ponds

Pond preparation Liming and fertilization

Stripe bamboo substrate installation

• Stocking of fingerlings

• Feeding: dough of rice

bran and mustard oil cake (1:1 ratio) and grass to grass carp.

• Partial harvesting of SIS

• Increased household consumption

Final harvesting

Rs. 200/kg

Extra Production

Pond produce for household consumption

Fish production

•Total fish production: >5.6 t/ha/y

•Higher than national average 3.5 t/ha/y.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Carp+SIS Carp+SIS+Substrate

Fish production (kg/100 m2/year)

SIS productionCarp production

Substrate based carp-SIS polyculture

Removes nutrients from water Adds oxygen in

water

Quality food (23-26% protein)

Consumption

• Consumed 45% of the total production on average

• Fish consumption rate was 4.7 kg/caput/y - double of national average of 1.9 kg/caput/y 0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Carp+SIS Carp+SIS+Substrate

Household fish conumption (kg/household/270 days)

SIS

Carp

Income

• 96% farmers sold surplus carp

• Farmers sold 55% of the total production.

• Income spent on household expenditures.

500052005400560058006000620064006600

Carp+SIS Carp+SIS+Substrate

Profit (Rs./100 m2/270 days)

Marketing

• Marketing: not a problem because small production.

• Farmers sold carp on the pond site.

• Customers come to farmers’

house to buy fish.

Value Chain

Input suppliers (Fingerling, feed) Farmer Consumer

Capacity building

Farmers’ training

Field trip Lead farmer visit to Finland

• 3 women fish farmers’ groups formed.

• Micro-finance

Women Fish Farmers’ Group

Cooperative

• Kapia Women Fish Farmers’ Cooperative established in 2013

• Members>30 • Working as a supporting

partner in Phase II

Conclusion

Protein

Micro-nutrients

Thank you Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland FFD AgriCord