Anne Rachmi, an Indonesian aquaculture engineer, has been based in Jessore since April to manage the demonstration on 4 smallholder farms. 

The Bangladesh Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (BaTIP) stakeholder mapping exercise carried out in the early part of the EURASTiP project identified that there was a sector-wide issue – margins for farmers, including hatchery, nursery and grow-out, had been steadily reducing. Partly this can be seen as a sign of success. Quality feed and seed are now easier than ever to access and production has surged.

The rapid growth in supply of an ever growing range of fish species has undoubtedly led to greater competition and is leading to farmers being under pressure to improve productivity; higher costs and declining prices are factors that speed innovation. Comparing the stage of development of Bangladesh pond management practices with neighbouring countries reveals that water quality management is relatively undeveloped. Ensuring water quality, particularly dissolved oxygen, remains in the optimal range through the 24 hour cycle, is a key management goal to ensure fish performance remains high. The intensification of production through the use of more feed and higher stocking densities has not been supported by any widespread uptake of aeration or water mixing, to ensure fish are not stressed.
This practice is now being demonstrated in Jessore as a key project activity implemented by Worldfish, a local University - the Noakhali Science and Technology University - the Non-Govenrment Organisation, Practical Action, private sector partners, MegaFeed and Nam Sai Farm and the UOS.

EAS is a partner in EURASTiP project, funded through the EU Horizon 2020 programme, and developed in response to EU call “reinforcing international cooperation on sustainable aquaculture production with countries from South East Asia".