Share
“We had a wasteland behind our home. A few years back this was a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Gram Utthan helped me with the technology and financial aid, to convert this barren land into an IFF pond. Now I harvest about 10 to 15 quintal of fish every month and I get a good profit from selling of fishes, prawns, eggs, and vegetables," Upendra Nayak's life changed when he learned that he could complement his small income from the farm with fishing: an option he never had before.
Integrated Fish Farming or simply IFF is a technique that has changed thousands of lives. Various types of fishes are left in them to grow and populate in a farmland, converted into an artificial pond. Inland fishing in India accounts for almost 70% of its production. Being a coastal state, Odisha is one of the top producers of fish and has a high potential in IFF. If the farmers are made aware to tap into this resource a scientific manner, it could increase their incomes and uplift their lives. Gram Utthan just did just that, and saw that enabling fish farmers had a great positive impact on their lives.
Due to the covid outbreak, these fish farmers are struggling hard to make an income. Not only has their primary farming business come to a halt, but their way of complementing the meagre income is also lost. During this lockdown, they are in terrible distress, unable to avail feed and medicine for their harvest. They are also not able to sell their produce, from vegetables to fish. Due to the approaching summer, their ponds have dried up. With no demand, the remaining ponds are crowding, and the fishes are dying due to lack of food, oxygen and less water. None of the poor farmers are equipped to deal with a crisis at this scale. With no retailers, commission agents/wholesalers or consumers, they are unable to feed their families anymore.
They are in desperate need of support to sustain themselves, cover basic costs and cope with the heavy losses they have suffered.
Millions of such rural businesses are facing a severe threat to their livelihood not only now, but also for the future. You can help 100 fishing farmers like Upendra by making a contribution to Milaap's Small Businesses Relief Fund. Milaap will take complete onus of beneficiary identification and execution. We will be posting weekly updates, and highlighting stories of grant recipients so that you can see the direct impact of your donation.
A small grant could be more than just a temporary solution for these businesses. It can actually help them get back on their feet and translate to a stable source of livelihood for even multiple families relying on the same business
Integrated Fish Farming or simply IFF is a technique that has changed thousands of lives. Various types of fishes are left in them to grow and populate in a farmland, converted into an artificial pond. Inland fishing in India accounts for almost 70% of its production. Being a coastal state, Odisha is one of the top producers of fish and has a high potential in IFF. If the farmers are made aware to tap into this resource a scientific manner, it could increase their incomes and uplift their lives. Gram Utthan just did just that, and saw that enabling fish farmers had a great positive impact on their lives.
Due to the covid outbreak, these fish farmers are struggling hard to make an income. Not only has their primary farming business come to a halt, but their way of complementing the meagre income is also lost. During this lockdown, they are in terrible distress, unable to avail feed and medicine for their harvest. They are also not able to sell their produce, from vegetables to fish. Due to the approaching summer, their ponds have dried up. With no demand, the remaining ponds are crowding, and the fishes are dying due to lack of food, oxygen and less water. None of the poor farmers are equipped to deal with a crisis at this scale. With no retailers, commission agents/wholesalers or consumers, they are unable to feed their families anymore.
They are in desperate need of support to sustain themselves, cover basic costs and cope with the heavy losses they have suffered.
Millions of such rural businesses are facing a severe threat to their livelihood not only now, but also for the future. You can help 100 fishing farmers like Upendra by making a contribution to Milaap's Small Businesses Relief Fund. Milaap will take complete onus of beneficiary identification and execution. We will be posting weekly updates, and highlighting stories of grant recipients so that you can see the direct impact of your donation.
A small grant could be more than just a temporary solution for these businesses. It can actually help them get back on their feet and translate to a stable source of livelihood for even multiple families relying on the same business
