Biofloc tilapia farming set to help India's rural poor

CMFRI provided is helping members of five SC families in the area to launch a biofloc fish farming unit under the scheme of Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP). The group began by stocking 1,800 genetically improved tilapia (GIFT) fry into a biofloc tank, set up adjacent to their households. CMFRI’s assistance includes setting up the 23,500 litre tank and providing the fry, feeds and technical guidance. According to CMFRI, the self-help group will be able to earn an income of at least 135,000 rupees (roughly $1,800) from each 8-month cycle, and the fish will attain a minimum weight of 300 g. “Normally tilapia (GIFT) gains 300 to 500g weight during this period from this practice,” said Dr K Madhu, principal investigator of the project and principal scientist of CMFRI. Biofloc allows for high-density fish farming in a controlled environment, in which fish wastes are converted into useful nutrients. The CMFRI will monitor different phases of the practice continuously to enable maximum ...