INTEGRATED PRAWN-AGRICULTURE GHER FARMING SYSTEM IN BAGERHAT, BANGLADESH

Abstract

Freshwater prawn farming has become an important component in the livelihood of marginal farmers in the freshwater interface of Southwestern coastal Bangladesh. This prawn farming has been integrated with rice and/or vegetable either simultaneously or sequentially. In an attempt to assess the status of integrated prawn-agriculture gher farming in the area, 20 farms at Fakirhat Thana, Bagerhat were surveyed during August-October, 2005. Farmers were interviewed with questionnaire on the production and economics of such integrated farms. Stocking of prawn PL was done at the densities 0.5 to 2.0 PL m-2 during February-March in simultaneous culture and at the densities 3.0 to 7.0 PL m-2 during June-July in sequential system. This integrated prawn farming has beneficial impact on the income of the farmers. Net profit was calculated to be Tk 20,395 ha-1 from a cycle (5-6 months) of simultaneous culture and Tk 35,457 ha-1 from sequential system, and Tk 127,000 ha-1 from rice + prawn + vegetable farming.