Page 183 - PARVEEN, S

utilization of shrimp wastes like shrimp chips to 1970s, a few people used to culture fish in the
(60%), sauce (5%), paste (10%) etc. However, they
asked for the assistance of technical knowledge
and credit facilities. Most of the respondents (80%)
found NGO as a suitable source for loan.
515 AKTERUZZAMAN, M. (Dept. of Agricultural
Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University,
Mymensingh). Shifting rice farming to fish culture
in some selected areas of Mymensingh,
Bangladesh : the process, conflicts and impacts.
Bang. J. Fish. Res., 2005, 9 (1), 97-99.
The evolutionary process of converting low-lying
paddy fields into fish farms and its impact on
agrarian communities in some selected areas of
Mymensingh district were studied. This study was
conducted through participatory rural appraisal
(PRA) covering 12 villages from each of selected
upazillas viz. Fulpur and Haluaghat of
Mymensingh district. A total of 12 PRA sessions
were conducted where 90 farmers participated
during 29 July to 26 August 2004. It is seen that
the use of low-lying paddy fields was mostly
confined to Broadcast Aman (B. Aman) rice
production until 1960s. With the introduction of
modern rice farming technology, the farmers
started to produce Boro rice in Rabi season and B.
Aman rice in Kharif season. With the passage of
time, aquaculture technologies have been evolved
and the farmers realized that fish farming is more
profitable than rice cultivation, and then they
started to utilize their paddy fields for alternate
rice-fish farming and rice-cum-fish farming. Now
a days, aquaculture based crop production system
is in practice in more than 25% of the low-lying
paddy fields. Conversion of rice fields in to fish
ponds has brought up a change in the livelihood
patterns of the rural farmers. The areas where the
farmers involved themselves in the new production
systems were fingerling collection, transportation
and marketing of fry and fingerlings. During 1960s
176
permanent ponds for their own consumption, the
species produced were rohu, catla, mrigal, ghainna,
long whiskered catfish, freshwater shark (boal),
snake head (shol) etc. Small fishes like climbing
perch, stinging catfish, walking catfish, barb,
minnows etc. were available in the rice fields
during monsoon season. In 1980s to mid 1990s,
some rice fields were converted into fish ponds and
the people started to produce fish for commercial
purposes. When rice-fish farming became
profitable, a large number of people started
converting their rice fields in to rice-fish culture
ponds. Culture of some exotic fishes like silver
carp, tilapia, grass carp, silver barb etc. also started
in the paddy fields. Higher income from fish
farming contributed .positively in improving the
housing, sanitation and education system in the
study areas. It is seen that the medium and medium
high lands were only used for alternate rice fish
farming. The net income was high in any fish
based cropping system that motivated the farmers
to introduce fish based cropping system in the low-
lying inland areas. As a result, the regional as well
as communal income disparities occurred.
However, the extraction of ground water became
common during the dry period as the water was
used for both rice and fish farming. Mass
conversion of paddy fields into rice-fish culture
ponds caused water logging in the study areas. In
most cases, the participated farmers mentioned that
they could be easily benefited by producing fish
with T. Aman or only fish during the monsoon
season. They agreed that this was an impressive
technology to them and they could generate
employment opportunities throughout the year.
Finally, the social, economic and technical
problems which are acting as constraints to rapid
expansion of fish production system were reported
from the interviewee.