Pokkali is a naturally organic farming system in the coastal areas of Ernakularn district that involves alternate growing of Paddy and Shrimp in the same field. Pokkali farming system which was sustained mainly on the income from shrimp turned loss due to wide spread attack of White Spot Symptom (WSS) virus infection in Shrimps. Labour shortage, high wages, lack of machinery, lack of branding to Pokkali products etc. accelerated the crisis. Most of the Pokkali fields which harvested lots of organic paddy and shrimp in the past are kept barren at present.
KVK’s intervention:A survey conducted among Pokkali farmers way back in 2011 revealed that ensuring more income per unit area from Pokkali fields is the only way to attract farmers back to this organic farming system and bringing back its glory. In order to reap more profit, KVK introduced athird component-Cage fish farming and demonstrated it as profitable during last three years. Pearlspot, Mullet and Seabass are the species suitable for Pokkali fields. Pearlspot andMullet can be grown in the open field, whereas Seabass being carnivorous require confined farmingin cages. Cages can be positioned in field channels and sluice pits.
Traditional paddy farming yield a profit of only 25,000/- per ha, whereas paddy and shrimp together yield a profit ofINR50,000- per ha. This could be augmented to 1.3 lakhs per ha in the newly introduced Paddy-shrimp-cage culture integrated system.
Subsequent to the success of this integrated farming, the Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA) under the State Government has initiated a subsidy scheme – Integrated fish farming in Pokkali fields. Under this, the agency support fish farming both in open Pokkali fields and also in cages sited in Pokkali fields. Total of 100 ha open fields and 100 cages would receive financial assistance (INR4000/- per cage and INR20,000 per ha open field). KVK extended technology backstopping to 15 farmer groups. Subsequently a Pokkali farmer producer company got registered with 50 member farmers and 11 director board members.
