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The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj is developing a system that enables high-density stocking of fish in cages. This intensive fish culture pond system also allows stocking of different varieties and sizes in cages of different sizes in a pond.

Fish varieties that can be grown in the system include Tilapia, Pangasius, Murrel and Pearlspot. “Since the water required for this system is low, high-density stocking of fish in different cages enables flexibility in managing a fishpond,” an NIRDPR executive said.

Set up at the institute’s Rural Technology Park at Rajendranagar, the Backyard Re-circulatory Aquaculture System was established with funding from the National Fisheries Development Board. The system was developed by Cochin University of Science and Technology.

The Rural Technology Park will demonstrate the functioning of the system and train farmers, self-help groups and youth. “We are preparing training modules on the Aquaculture System to promote it as a sustainable mode of income generation,” the executive said.

“The economics of growing Genetically Improved Farm Tilapia (GIFT) in the pond, for a stocking period of 120 days over three cycles a year, demonstrates an average monthly return of ₹25,750 can be expected from fish culture,” he added.

“We can only double the income of farmers by promoting integrated farming practices. Such technology-backed smart farming solutions will encourage youth to undertake farming as an occupation,” WR Reddy, Director General of NIRDPR, said in a statement here on Monday.

The sludge periodically pumped out of the pond can be used as manure.

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