Bangladesh is experiencing a quiet revolution in its domestic fish farming market, reveals a recent study by the Inter-national Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).Debunking the traditional view that fish farming in Bangladesh is mainly a subsistence occupation, the study shows that the market for farmed fish has grown by a massive 25 times over the last three decades. It notices that 75 per cent of the fish farmers sell their products commercially these days.
“The extent of growth in many sectors has really surprised me! This has really helped production as well as many off-farm segments like rural and urban traders, input dealers and feed mills,” says Ricardo Hernandez, research coordinator at IFPRI and lead author of the study.
“The rapid increase in the number of mainly small and medium actors has produced a more competitive environment. It has pushed the adoption of new technologies, which, in turn, has increased productivity. This has greatly benefited poor and low-income consumers,” he adds.
This rapid growth has been spawned by increased demand, improvements in technology, communication and infrastructure, and investments by millions of farm households as well as small and medium enterprises.
Very little change was brought about by NGO or government action, although the government did play an important role in the early stages with infrastructure investment (such as investment in fish seed production, electricity and roads), a pro-business outlook, and a laissez-faire approach to land use and crop choice.
What was once a subsistence enterprise in Bangladesh has seen a tripling of volume and players in all segments. There has been a proliferation of feed mills, hatcheries, and farmers and traders, with a rapid increase in the volume of purchased seed and feed, the use of chemicals, the use of hired labour, and investment in agricultural equipment.
“Aquaculture has become an important driver of the economy of Bangladesh. This industry now employs as many persons as the garments sector,” says Hernandez.
Just over a decade ago, rural fish farmers usually sold their fish to local traders. But they are now selling two-thirds of their products to large wholesalers based in towns and cities.
Rapid increases in urban consumption of farmed fish in Bangladesh mirror the current trend across Asia. This trend is significant for Bangladesh, where fish is the most important food, after rice, in terms of the food budget.
“Both rural and urban poor households have been able to improve their diets by consuming more protein and micronutrients from a source other than rice,” observes Hernandez.
The study was funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Bangladesh Policy Research and Strategy Support Programme implemented by the IFPRI.
The IFPRI was established in 1975 to identify and analyse alternative national and international strategies to meet the food demands of the developing world.
It seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty.
This article was originally published on The Independent on 09 August 2017.