THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Goa’s struggling Khazan lands, where rising salinity and declining returns have steadily eroded the viability of traditional paddy cultivation, may have found a new lease of life through scientific fish farming.
A pilot project by the ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CCARI), Old Goa titled "Evaluating the Performance of Multispecies Finfish Culture in Small Low-Cost Ponds for Improving the Livelihood of Farmers in the Salt-Affected Coastal Saline Region of Goa", a fish culture trial and harvest has demonstrated that multispecies finfish culture in small, low-cost ponds can generate encouraging yields in saline-affected Khazan ecosystems, offering coastal farmers a potential alternative source of income.
The demonstration, funded by NABARD, was carried out at Merces in collaboration with beneficiary farmer Joaquim D'Souza.
Scientists conducted a partial harvest after nearly 11 months of culture, with the two ponds together yielding 142 kg of fish while recording productivity of around two tonnes per hectare. The institute said final production is expected to be significantly higher once harvesting is completed.
"Khazan lands are facing a combination of challenges, including acidic soils, tidal saltwater intrusion, prolonged fallowing of coastal soils, abandonment of agriculture, dependence on rice monocropping, and declining productivity. Standalone paddy cultivation on these lands is no longer economically viable,” the ICAR-CCAIR said.
It said integrating aquaculture into the traditional Khazan farming system offers a scientifically proven way to restore productivity, diversify farm output and improve rural livelihoods while making use of underutilised coastal lands.
“With this objective, polyculture of multiple finfish species was undertaken to enhance aquaculture productivity in saline-affected Khazan ponds through site-specific scientific interventions,” it added as it explained that the project involved two ponds measuring 360 sq m and 300 sq m, stocked in April 2025 with Catla, Rohu, Pearlspot, Pacu and Tilapia, followed by supplementary stocking of Pangasius and Rohu later in the year.
The first pond produced 80 kg of fish, comprising 48 kg of Catla, 18 kg of Rohu and 14 kg of Pangasius. The second yielded 62 kg, including 23 kg of Pacu and 39 kg of Pangasius.
"The observed results reflect promising growth performance of major cultured species even under saline-affected Khazan conditions, underscoring the resilience and viability of this polyculture model," the institute said.
Scientists said the trial demonstrated that science-based pond management could transform small, low-cost ponds in coastal saline areas into productive aquaculture units.
The observed results, ICAR-CCAIR said, showed promising growth performance of these major cultured species even under saline-affected Khazan conditions.
"The demonstration highlights the potential of multispecies finfish culture as a climate-resilient and entrepreneurial livelihood option for farmers in the coastal saline ecosystems of Goa. By transforming underutilised Khazan lands into productive aquaculture units, the model offers a pathway for income diversification, food security and rural entrepreneurship," it said.
