GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT TCP/PAK/6760 INTRODUCTION OF LOW-COST FISHFARMING IN RURAL AREAS OF ISLAMABAD CAPITAL TERRITORY

1. Objective of the Project The project aims to popularize fish culture activities by demonstrating lowcost fish farming techniques in the rural areas. 2. Implementation of the Project To meet the above objective, it is planned to establish three demonstration units at the (technically) most appropriate sites within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The counterpart executing agency, the Directorate of Fisheries, ICT, should take the following action. 2.1 Identification and selection of demonstration ponds The site for a demonstration pond can be either flat land or in the form of depressions, water-logged or land unsuitable for agriculture. However, the site should fulfil the following requirements: a. in order to ensure the water supply, a perennial source of water in the form of river, stream, canal, or tube well must be available. b. in order to ensure seepage, the soil texture of the site should be such as to retain the water in the pond. After identifying a number of suitable sites, a Selection Committee should choose the demonstration units on the basis of the following points:

to cover the area of Islamabad Capital Territory, the proposed three demonstration ponds should be allocated one in each Rural Development Marakiz. to increase the awareness amongst the rural farmers as well as to attract them into this activity, the demonstration unit should be centrally located so that maximum number of farmers become acquainted with the exercise and the results, and

the choice of farmer to operate such a demonstration unit should be based on the farmer's keen interest to take up the activity with his own investment.

2.2 Pond Construction The construction of the fish pond should be based on scientific criteria and would necessitate the services of a qualified engineer (free of charge if possible) is necessary in designing a pond according to topography, and supervising the construction work, and estimating costs. A fish pond should be earthen, with independent inlet and outlet, monk and inner slope of each dike in the ratio of 1:2. The pond dikes need to be well rammed and grown over with grass preferably of a fast-growing species, e.g., which would later serve as feed for grass carp. To avoid complications in processing the loan, the construction costs of the pond could be channeled through the system of the Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP). However, in the local conditions construction cost can be considerably minimized by: a. selecting a site (terraced or depressed land) requiring minimum excavation of earth; b. by making available the services of public tractor stationed at Merkiz (Rs. 50/h versus private sector tractor at Rs. 120/h). 2.3 Fish Culture Practice Phytophagous fish play a major role in low-cost fish-farming as their energy conversion rates are high and their feeds are easily available at low cost. Therefore, in adapting developing low-cost fish-farming, the introduction of phytophagous and zooplankton-feeding fish is very important. This type of farming is generally integrated with animal husbandry and horticulture which provide the wastage needed for fish production readily and economically. In ICT, this type of fish culture practice could be easily adapted through integration with the existing poultry and vegetable farming frequently practised in those areas potentially identified for fish culture. On the basis of available phytophagous and zooplankton-feeding fish three different combinations of fish species are envisaged.

Fish Species I Grass carp Silver carp Thaila Rohu Mori Common carp 25% 20% 20% 15% 10% 10%

Percentage of Fish II 10% 30% 15% 15% 15% 15% III 10% 15% 30% 15% 15% 15%

In adapting this system, doubt has been expressed as to the availability of an adequate number of fingerlings of grass carp, silver carp and perhaps other fish species. The Department of Punjab Fisheries Authority has assumed responsibility to ensure the present requirement of fingerling for three demonstration ponds under the present project. However, in order to guarantee the necessary provision of fingerlings, the Directorate of Fisheries ICT should have alternative souces of supply: i. ii. by developing own facility of rearing the fry into fingerlings; and attempting to import the required fingerlings of phytophagous fish from neighbouring countries, e.g., Nepal.

2.4 Extension Services Extension services should be developed in order to make the rural farmers aware of the potential of fish culture. The extension personnel should try to motivate the farmers by distributing simple articles or pamphlets on fish culture as well as through audiovisual media. The selected farmers should be oriented towards fish culture activities through a training programme before the stocking operations begin. The extension personnel also need intensive training in fish culture to be able to carry out the follow-up programme. All necessary equipment should be available. 2.5 Fish Marketing Present-scale production is very small compared to market demand. Therefore, no problems in marketing can be visualized at present. Harvesting and marketing activities of demonstration pond production should be carried out by the Directorate of Fisheries, ICT.

3. Contribution 3.1 Farmer's Contribution The farmer should be responsible for the cost of: i. ii. iii. pond construction manure labour

3.2 Government Contribution Once the site has been selected, the public sector should provide all support services free of charge and in good time to ensure the success of the programme including: a. assigning a qualified engineer to design and estimate the costs of constructing a demonstration pond; b. recommending a loan programme to the Agriculture Development Bank, if this proves necessary; c. supervising the pond construction; d. orienting the farmer into fish culture activities; e. providing 58 cm fingerlings free-of-charge of various cultivable fish species at the rate of 5 000/ha; f. conducting checks on growth as a follow-up to monitor the activity as well as to train the farmer at site. 3.3 FAO Contribution For the successful implementation of project activity, FAO will provide: a. A Consultant i. to assist the national authority and staff in selecting the sites ii. to orient the farmers in carrying out the activity iii. to orient the extension personnel in carrying out the follow-up programme. b. Equipment (see Annex 1 attached) i. the equipment will serve to develop certain facilities and strengthen the existing institution to produce the required number of fingerlings;

ii.

the field equipment will assist the extension service to carry out the follow-up programme. Annex 1 LIST OF EQUIPMENT
Serial No. Item Fibreglass tank Aerator Generator Aerating stones Motorcycle Hose pipe Polythene pipe Small hack kit Thermometer Plankton net a. Phytoplankton b. Zooplankton 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Drag net Fingerling net of 2 cm mesh size Cast net Secchi disk Portable water pump Soil sampler kit 5 cm 1 1 (30 m 1 2 d) (30 m 1 2 d) (2.4 cm mesh size) 2 2 3 3 1 2 (1.25 cm) (1.25 cm) (small) Capacity 2 000/5 000 l No. 10/4 1 1 30 1 100 m 100 m 3 6 2 Service Local

A.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

B.

8. 9. 10.