Munni Begum/Guwahati

Nazrul Haque of Assam is an example of a lone man with the idea, converting misery into an opportunity. He became a change-maker by showing the way to utilize recurring floods caused by the monsoon as an opportunity for fish farming and creating livelihoods for at least 300 families.

What was once considered a curse by the villagers of Alekhargul, about 5 km from Badarpur town in Sribhumi district (southern Assam), the floodwaters caused by the Monsoons are now used to create fish farms, and the village is officially designated as a 'Fishery Village.'

Floods caused by Monsoon in many part of Assam used to make people lose their homes and livestock each year. Before Nazrul Haque launched his mission, most parts of the Sribhum district remained submerged in water almost throughout the year. The perennial floods cause havoc in the region.

Nazrul Haque in his fish farm

Nazrul Haque did not see floods as a harbinger of misery; he saw them as a resource that could revolutionize fish farming and generate livelihoods. He not only became a fish farmer and trader but also an role model and a guide to others. Today all families in his village are in the business of fish farming and trading in it.

"There are not many avenues for the people in my village. All the people usually earn their living by ordinary farming. Initially, I too used to support my family by farming. Unfortunately, farming also doesn’t yield much as most of the farmland is submerged all year round,” he told Awaz-the Voice.

“I pondered over utilising our farmlands for another purpose so that it could yield more. The first thing that came to my mind was fishery because we already had a ready fish market here.”

Nazrul Haque receiving an award in New Delhi

Nazrul Haque's father was a farmer who could barely make ends meet. He always thought of doing things differently. He took out a loan of ₹10,000 to start a fish business made good use of it and repaid it to the bank on time. This paved the way for his future venture.

“I started fish farming in 2000. I thought of becoming financially self-reliant by starting a business. In 2003, I got a bank loan under a project called ARIASP from the state government. Initially, I could only produce 5 to 7 quintals of fish in one hectare of my land. Today, I produce 6-7 tonnes of fish on about 100 hectares including the land I take on lease,” Haque said.

Nazrul did not wait for a government job and started fish production soon after his graduation. He became self-sufficient through fishery. After his success, he started spreading awareness about the feasibility of fish farming.

Nazrul Haque receiving Assam Gaurav Award

As a result, today 300 households in his village got involved with the fishery business.

Nazrul approached the State Bank of India’s Badarpur branch for financial assistance for fish farming. The Bank was responsive and supportive and no wonder the bank has named his village as 'SBI Fishery Village' recognising Nazrul's initiative.

"There is a lot of potential for fish farming in Assam and it’s a profitable business,” he says of his experience.

Nazrul Islam showing varities of fish produced in his farm

“There are many places in Assam which remain submerged throughout the year. These lands are inappropriate for cultivation. From Upper to Lower Assam large swathes of land lay unutilised. If local youth use fish farming they can make huge profits. Our state imports a lot of fish from outside. Local fish farmers can change this and also get many youth employed gainfully,” Haque said.

Nazrul said he makes a good income from the fishery. He has been producing fish like rohu, catla, stinging catfish (singhi), walking catfish (magur), common carp, turtle, pabda, climbing perch (koi), Chinese silvery pomfret (rupchanda) etc. His produce is organic as he doesn’t use chemical feed. He sells his produce across Assam and to other North Eastern states like Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

"Fishery is a very profitable business. A few years ago, people in my village were not interested in fish farming. But now many educated youths are getting involved in this profession. I want to tell everyone that they can become self-reliant through fish farming.”

Nazrul Haque showing big fish produced in his farm

He says for this people just need to think differently. “We must utilise the land around us. I have been encouraging the youth to engage in fishery using scientific methods. I have also taken a loan from the bank for fish production and have been using some modern technology. I use re-circulating aquaculture system, oxygen aerators, and special medicine for fish diseases,” Haque said.

Nazrul Haque is a role model and a change-maker for many. Haque has received several state and national awards for his outstanding performance in the fisheries sector. Recently, he received the Assam Gaurav Award, the third-highest civilian honour of the state.

He has received an award from the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Hyderabad. Recently, in the Science City of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the Central Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, presented this award to Nazrul during the World Fish Day celebration.

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Earlier, he received recognition as a progressive fishery businessman at the district level. Nazrul plans to expand the fishery business and set up a fish seed production factory.