Rabeya Khatun, a 32-year-old from Kismatghona village in Tala upazila of Satkhira district, is now known as a successful fish feed producer in the area. She has received a huge response in the area by producing black soldier fly pupae and larvae as an alternative to commercial food.
Her farm is now a place of learning for many, many come to visit regularly and are inspired. Rabeya Khatun has six members in her family. She and her husband earn a living by farming fish and shrimp.
They have two enclosures. At one time, fish farming was profitable because the price of commercial fish feed was low. But as the price of feed gradually increased, the cost of production also increased significantly. At that time, she joined the “Safe Fish and Fish Product Production and Marketing” value chain sub-project of the RMTP project implemented by Satkhira Development Organization (SASO) and supported by PKSF, IFAD, and DANIDA. Rabeya participated in skill development training on black soldier insect production under the project. After the training, she was given a demonstration setup worth Tk 40,000 based on her interest and ability. With the support and regular care of her husband Moniruzzaman Sohag, she was able to produce a significant amount of pupae and larvae in just two months. Currently, she is using an average of 8-10 kg of larvae in her enclosure every day. As a result, her fish are growing rapidly and the cost of fish food has reduced by about 30 percent. As a result, she is now much more profitable than before. Although she heard various things from the social media in the beginning, now that scene has changed. Many farmers in the area have also become interested in producing black soldier insects, following Rabeya Khatun. Executive Director of SAS Sheikh Iman Ali said, Rabeya Khatun is a unique example of our project. Black soldier insect production is an environmentally friendly and sustainable technology, which creates income opportunities for farmers by reducing production costs. Rabeya has mastered the subject very quickly and many are now encouraged by her success. We want this technology to spread further and more farmers to benefit. SAS will always stand by the people in the field and provide the necessary technical and financial support. Tala Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md. Tariq Imam said, black soldier insects are now becoming popular worldwide as an alternative protein source in fish farming. The results that Rabeya Khatun has shown by successfully implementing this technology in our region are truly commendable. Not only has the growth of fish in her enclosure increased, but feed costs have also decreased. This is an example for other farmers. We, from the Upazila Fisheries Department, always encourage such initiatives and provide necessary advice.