Danish Fish Farming Project Lifted a Family Out of Powerty

This is the story of one family among many which overcame poverty thanks to the aquaculture training supported by the Danida funded Fisheries Sector Programme Support II (FSPSII), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Mr. Tran Van Xam and his wife, Le Thi Hiep, live in Loc Son commune, Phu Loc district, in Thua Thien Hue Province. In 2006, they lost their house during a storm. They then settled on a new piece of land, which they received from Ms Hiep’s parents. With the land was included a small pond, which they expanded with the help of a loan from relatives.


Fortunately, just after they finished the pond, they were able to attend training on nursing of grass carp fingerlings, organized by the Provincial Extension Centre with support from the Fisheries Sector Programme Support, funded by Danida. The training was given to a group of 20 and Mr. Xam was selected as the demonstration farmer of the group, because he was poor and had a suitable pond.


As part of the demonstration, he stocked 4000 fish of 5 grams each, which he fed with rice bran, duckweed and pellet feed. The training was given for 10 days, spread out over the culture period and covered all aspects of fish farming, from pond preparation and feeding to harvesting and marketing.


After about 3 months, the fish, which had grown to 50 gram each, could be sold at 3,000 VND per piece to other farmers for further grow-out. In total, the demo produced a profit of 2.1 million VND on an investment of 6.3 million. Mr. Xam reported that he can have three harvests per year. Together with his profit from rice growing of about 2 million, about 600,000 VND from duck rearing and some income from daily labor, he now earns more than 10 million per year and now has exited his previous poverty status.


Their three children are going to kindergarten and primary school. Previously, they would have had no money for kindergarten. They are also finishing their new house which they started with funds from the government’s programme of support for the poor. They still have no door and windows but this may come with the next harvest.

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