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The indigenous variety of Anabas testudineus (Bengali-koi), Heteropneustes fossilis (Bengali-singhi), and Clarias batrachus (Bengali-magur) is traditionally very popular to Bengalis and the soil and climate of Bangladesh is very favourable for the cultivation of these varieties. There exists a great demand for these varieties in the local market and the price is also high. If fingerlings of these varieties could be made easily available, poor families could cultivate them for income generation, to improve their livelihood and also to fulfil their nutritional needs. The cultivation of these varieties is not that difficult since they require only small ponds or ditches, which are commonly available in and around rural homesteads of the poor. However the scarcity of fingerlings is a serious impediment to the expansion of cultivation of these varieties. The researcher wants to address the following objectives: a) to develop an appropriate technology (mini hatchery) for semi-induced breeding of these varieties; b) to develop a strategy for the transfer of this technology to the rural poor; and c) to find an appropriate strategy for income generation of the rural poor through cultivation of these varieties in small ponds and ditches. A participatory research methodology involving the rural poor will be followed in the development of the technology.. Success of this technology is expected to lead large-scale production of fingerlings, ensuring easy availability and to encourage farmers to adopt this culture for their own benefit. Widespread adoption of this technology will also save these varieties from extinction. The study is being carried out in Porabari, a village under Gazipur district.
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