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Assam Village Turns Annual Floods Into Thriving Fish Farms
Alekhargul is a village in Assam where floods often destroyed farmers' crops.
Nazrul Haque decided to use the floodwater to raise fish instead.
He began fish farming in 2000 and later received a bank loan to expand.
He stocked ponds, fed the fish and used equipment to keep the water healthy.
His farm eventually grew to about 100 hectares.
Nazrul taught other villagers how to farm fish and helped them get loans and young fish.
More than 300 households now earn money from fish farming or trading.
The floods still come, but many families now see the water as an opportunity instead of only a disaster.
Nazrul Haque shifted from flood-prone crop farming to fish farming in 2000.
With a 2003 State Bank of India loan, he expanded his operation and adopted scientific aquaculture methods.
His farm now covers roughly 100 hectares and produces six to seven tonnes of fish.
Nazrul helped villagers obtain loans, fingerlings and training, connecting more than 300 households to fish farming or trading.
The State Bank of India later recognised Alekhargul as an SBI Fishery Village.
- Who
- Fish farmer Nazrul Haque and more than 300 Alekhargul households.
- What
- A flood-prone village shifted from failing crop farming toward fish farming and trading.
- Where
- Alekhargul, about five kilometres from Badarpur town in Assam's Sribhumi district.
- When
- Nazrul began fish farming in 2000 and expanded after receiving a loan in 2003; the transition continues today.
- Why
- Annual floods repeatedly destroyed crops, while nearby demand for fish offered an alternative source of income.
Key facts
- Initial fish harvest
- About five to seven quintals per hectare.
- Current farm area
- Roughly 100 hectares, including owned and leased land.
- Current production
- Six to seven tonnes of fish.
- Fish species
- Rohu, catla, singhi, magur, common carp, pabda, koi and rupchanda, among others.
- Community reach
- More than 300 households are connected to fish farming or trading.
- Bank recognition
- Alekhargul was formally named an SBI Fishery Village.
- Sriratan's reported earnings
- Nearly Rs 1 lakh in three months after switching to fish cultivation in 2025.
Quotes
Nazrul Haque
Fish farmer and aquaculture entrepreneur from Alekhargul
“There is a lot of potential for fish farming in Assam. A lot of people just don’t know how to do it. But if they are taught, they will benefit from it and so will our rivers.”
thebetterindia.com
“We don’t need to keep importing fish from outside the state. The water is already here. We just have to use it.”
thebetterindia.com
Sources
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