This text is a part of The Higher India’s collection #EarnYourIndependence by which we have fun Indians attaining monetary freedom in modern methods.
Ranjita Saikia Deka, regardless of dealing with an enormous disaster in her 15-year-old enterprise, bravely put her ft ahead in a novel approach of pisciculture. She is among the first from Assam to start out land-based fish farming utilizing Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) know-how.
“Life has its personal ups and downs, regardless of the state of affairs it’s crucial for us to simply accept it in a optimistic mindset as a result of each problem is a chance,” says Ranjita Saikia Deka throughout a dialog with The Higher India.
From a really tender age, she needed to do one thing modern and out-of-the-box. In 2005, when the web was at its nascent stage, she took up the mission of making consciousness on utilizing the web and different fashionable applied sciences and began taking free courses. Ultimately, she opened an internet service store within the Dhemaji district. “Issues went properly until March 2020, however COVID and its subsequent lockdowns pressured us to close store for greater than a 12 months which affected us financially,” she provides.
However Ranjita by no means needed to stick to at least one supply of earnings. So, in 2018, she began doing aquaponics. “Someday whereas scrolling by YouTube, I noticed a video on aquaponics and that’s the place the concept got here to my thoughts. I used to be fascinated by the strategy of rising natural greens and fishes altogether in the identical surroundings.”
Ranjita’s aquaponics enterprise was a grand success, and witnessing this the Fishery Division approached her to arrange this hi-tech venture underneath India’s Blue Revolution Scheme in 2017-18.
The success of the venture, within the final two years, has compelled many from varied nooks and corners of Assam and out of doors have approached Ranjita to learnt in regards to the approach. However solely six to seven individuals have been in a position to efficiently be taught and implement this system.
Neeti Deb, spouse of former Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Deb has additionally visited Ranjita’s farm and confirmed her keenness to start out the venture in her native state.
“To be sincere, I by no means imagined my trial and error strategies of aquaponics can be so in style. The success boosted my confidence to do one thing huge within the fisheries sector and accordingly, I attempted my palms at RAS know-how,” she reveals.
First launched in Isreal Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) is a hi-tech land-based fish farming which primarily goals to extend fish manufacturing with the optimum use of land. It additionally significantly helped in water conservation.
In India, it was included within the 12 months 2015-16 underneath the Blue Revolution scheme.
These tanks price wherever from Rs 50,000 to Rs 50 lakh. And the advantages of RAS know-how embody much less house, fewer labourers, and extra manufacturing, amongst others.
A wholesome approach of fish manufacturing
The red-letter day of Ranjita’s life was 5 September 2020, the second when she formally began fish farming with RAS.
“The absolutely natural fish produced by RAS know-how can be fairly cost-effective as a result of it requires much less house and labour,” she informs, including, “It additionally significantly helps in water conservation, suppose in a 100-litre pond one can produce 1kg of fish nevertheless on this course of 1kg of fish can simply be produced in a 10-litre tank.”
Although the system requires extra electrical energy, Ranjita and her husband Putul Deka are repeatedly modifying methods to minimise consumption. The duo has additionally utilized for solar energy on this regard.
Presently in 8 tanks of 8-metre size and 5 ft depth which may maintain as much as 6 lakhs litres quantity water, Ranjita is producing quintals of Indian Main Carb (IMC) fishes corresponding to Rohu, Catla Catfish (Magur) Fossil Cat (Singhi), Pangas Catfish (Kosh), Chinese language Promophet (Roopchanda) and tasting success.
Commercial
“Fishes of excessive medicinal worth are receiving good responses from the purchasers. We largely goal just a few fish markets in Jagiroad, Sonapur in addition to Guwahati the place the common per day sale is round 10 kg. We even have fairly a handful of normal prospects. Moreover, typically we do house supply in varied elements of Guwahati as per the request,” she informs
“Little doubt fish farming in RAS is a difficult activity however nothing might be extra satisfying than offering contemporary, scrumptious and wholesome fishes to the individuals within the age the place virtually every part has chemical compounds in it,” she states.
Ranjita goals of establishing a stay, fully natural fish market close to Guwahati and patiently ready for it to occur quickly.
As this improvised know-how requires much less labour thus she has employed two workers who’re serving to her within the easy run of the enterprise.
A Nice Mentor
Tilak Sonowal, one in every of Ranjita’s two workers engaged on the plant, says, “I’m working with Ranjita baideo (Assamese for ma’am) for the final six years and I need to say she has fully modified my life. Earlier, I used to be working in my village the place the earnings have been so low that I couldn’t even feed my little daughter however now after working underneath her, I’m having common earnings which helps my entire household to steer a good life.”
“Baideo has given a brand new dimension to my life. She is a mentor and information, underneath her steerage, I’m studying each nitty gritty of this improvised and modernised approach,” he provides.
A Serving to Hand
Being the pioneer within the discipline, Ranjita’s is now thought of a one-stop answer for fish farming. Her success story is encouraging many to do this new know-how.
Anjan Bishaya has this to say about Ranjita, “She is a beneficiant, pleasant and useful one who helped us find out about each nitty gritty relating to the venture. She has supplied me with all of the required info which elevated my curiosity in it.”
Bishaya additional informs that the mandatory development of the venture is on the verge of completion and the full-fledged enterprise will begin quickly. “Within the 6 tanks of 5.5 ft we’re creating the venture within the Kallongpar space close to Guwahati.”
Mentioning it as an excellent initiative for the long run, he provides, “Land is getting lowered with each passing day and on this situation development of ponds is simply not doable. This technique of fish manufacturing requires much less house, time and labour, thus this sustainable technique can be very useful for future generations.”
Rezakul Islam, one other profitable RAS entrepreneur, additionally asserts that Ranjita has prolonged her serving to hand and supplied technical help whereas establishing the farm.
Within the eight tanks, Islam cultures 40 to 45 tonnes of fish that are yielding him good income.
Slowly however steadily, the RAS enterprise is spreading to nooks and corners of Assam and different Northeastern states.
“Within the 12 months 2021, the overall turnover of the venture was Rs 11.25 lakh and until June 2022 it has elevated to Rs 14.8 lakh. I hope to the touch it to Rs 20 lakh by the top of this 12 months,” Ranjita indicators off.
All image credit to & written by Sayantani Deb; Edited by Yoshita Rao
