World Bank-backed freshwater prawn project boosts Assam farmers’ incomes across 6 districts

Guwahati, Sept 4:  A pilot project introducing freshwater prawn into traditional carp polyculture systems in the State has significantly boosted farmer incomes and aquaculture productivity across six districts, officials have reported.

Launched between 2021 and 2024 under the World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART), the initiative targeted 475 farmers—including 132 women–across Darrang, Goalpara, Kamrup, Nalbari, Nagaon, and Morigaon districts.

The intervention was based on the concept that freshwater water prawn is a bottom dweller and there are other bottom dwelling fish reared traditionally in Assam like common carp and mrigal which take long duration for attaining marketable size but fetch low price. Under the intervention, freshwater prawn was introduced replacing bottom dwelling fish.

Freshwater prawns are not only a sustainable and healthy protein source–rich in zinc and low in fat–but also command nearly three times the market price of traditional bottom-dwelling fish.

By replacing a portion of the slower-growing, low-return carp stock with prawn, farmers saw their net average income rise from Rs 60,000 to Rs 90,000 per bigha annually–without incurring extra input costs.

Covering 142.44 hectares, the pilot produced 77.87 metric tonne (MT) of freshwater prawn valued at Rs 3.89 crore and 675.7 MT of carp worth Rs 10.14 crore. Total revenue generated reached Rs 14.03 crore, while the total project cost was Rs 2.85 crore–of which 80 per cent was covered by APART. Farmers collectively earned profits of Rs 11.18 crore.

Encouraged by the pilot’s success, 464 new farmers–including 176 women–from additional districts like Udalguri and Baksa adopted the prawn polyculture model, covering an expanded area of 152 hectares. These adopters produced 83.16 MT of prawn (valued at Rs 4.16 crore) and 694.37 MT of fish (Rs 10.46 crore), generating a combined revenue of Rs 14.62 crore. With input costs at Rs 3.8 crore, their net profit stood at Rs 10.82 crore.

Officials see enormous potential for scaling the model statewide. With many farmers now trained in prawn nursery and scientific rearing practices, the model offers both economic and ecological benefits. Prawn nurseries themselves are emerging as lucrative standalone ventures.

Given the transformative outcomes, plans are underway to incorporate freshwater prawn farming into the upcoming phases of APART and the newly launched Sustainable Wetland Integrated Fisheries Transformation Project (SWIFT), supported by the Asian Development Bank.

“This initiative has not only empowered rural farmers, especially women, but also demonstrated that scientific aquaculture practices can dramatically improve livelihoods,” a senior APART official stated.

By

Staff Reporter