The roots of the Jhora fish farming system
Jhora fish farming started in the early 1980s when the government stepped in and built cement ponds for the villagers to promote fish farming and ensure healthy diets.
“We have been farming fish for years, but the method was different,” says Pawan Bhutia, a 65-year-old farmer in Kalimpong district. “Earlier, we would dig small ponds in the ground near the stream and release the fry into them. The stream provided 24/7 access to water. But the government formalised the system and built us cement tanks in 1982 to attract more people to fish farming.
The government started the fish farming by setting up nine small units (13.0 m2) to study the growth of fish at this altitude. Economically suitable fish that could survive in these conditions were selected. The results were encouraging. After nine months, about 100-120 kg of meal-sized fish were harvested from the Jhora pond. This production encouraged authorities to start large-scale fish farming in the hills, and local residents received a 50 percent subsidy for the construction of ponds.
