Fish farming on the hills? Hard to believe, but true. The implementation of the Integrated Tribal Development Project by the Nationalised Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development for six years till 2020.
A group of tribal farmers of Pachamalai is poised for economic growth thanks to the off-shore fish farm being developed at three places – two in the Tiruchi district and one in the Salem district as the hills is spread over these two revenue districts.
One of the tribal farmers, Raju, who owns a sprawling pond, said that he did not imagine that he could rear fishes in his pond.
The pond has been getting perennial supply from an adjoining source and is even 15 to 20 feet in depth, depending upon the percolation of water from the adjoining source.
He was one of the tribal farmers identified under the programme for developing fish farm.
He has been rearing ‘catla’ and ‘rohu’. He said that he was confident of an assured revenue from the fish farm from October – November this year.
Another tribal farmer Thambusamy in Top Sengattupatti said that the pond had been converted into an income-generation source.
The project, being implemented by The Hand in Hand, a non-governmental organisation, had been gaining momentum as it provides economic uplift for the tribal farmers.
“We have groups of farmers skilled in various vocations – right from coffee cultivation to cashew orchard development. Those owning a pond have been identified under the off-shore fish farming activity,” says an official source. Four persons have been identified so far – three in Tiruchi district and one in Salem district.
Two sites identified
The third pond in Tiruchi district would be set up at Thannerpallam while the pond in Salem district would be set up at Nallamatthi village, according to sources.
