Turning a Fish Pond into a Poultry Farm: A Young Farmer’s Success Story

In Ratba village of Jashpur district in Chhattisgarh, young farmer Ankit Lakda has shown how traditional farming can be converted into a multi stage, multi income enterprise. By combining rain fed paddy, horticulture around a farm pond and integrated fish cum poultry farming over the same pond, he has turned a small piece of land into a steady source of rural livelihood. His model is now being cited as an example of how innovative thinking plus government support can make agriculture more profitable and sustainable.

From paddy to a pond based farm

Ankit explains that initially he cultivated only paddy during the monsoon. Later he took guidance from the fisheries department and constructed a pond on his field. This allowed him to grow paddy in the wet season and then use the pond water for growing trees, especially mango, during summer. The leaves and shade of the mango trees help hold the soil together and prevent erosion, while the fruits later become an additional source of income. This simple step transformed his one crop system into a mixed crop and horticulture model.

Chickens on stilts, fish below

Ankit then took the concept further by building poultry sheds directly over the pond. He now rears 1,000 to 1,200 birds in two sheds, with the pond below. The manure from the poultry acts as a natural feed for fish, while the pond water irrigates his trees. This integrated model reduces the need for separate chemical fertiliser and keeps both the livestock and the fish units complementary. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Yojana, he has also received a pond liner and around eight lakh rupees as subsidy, along with feeds, polythene sheets, bore components and a motor, which helped him set up the infrastructure.

An income and environment friendly model

Other farmers who have adopted this integrated model report that the initial investment is manageable and once the system is in place, they get a steady income every month. They stress that the model is not only profitable but also eco‑friendly, because the waste from poultry becomes a resource for fish and the pond supports tree growth. Ankit’s story highlights how a new mindset, scientific planning and timely use of government schemes can turn a simple farm pond and a few acres of land into a diversified and resilient rural enterprise.