a day ago
- General
- New Indian Express
75-yr-old's retirement gig turns into model fish farm
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sasikumar V's day begins before the world wakes up. At 3 am, he reads the newspaper, takes a stroll to the beach near his home in Thrikkunnapuzha, chats with local fishermen and sips his regular tea by the shore. But he makes sure to return before sunrise. For him, the real morning begins when the first rays of light fall on the rippling water of his backyard fish farm, My3 Farms -- an effort of 11 years.
This year, Sasikumar has been named the Best Backyard Farmer by the state government under the programme 'Janakeeya Matsyakrishi'. What started as a retirement dream has now become a model inland fish farm that produces thousands of pearlspot (karimeen) seeds every season.
Backyard fish farming makes use of small ponds or tanks near homes, turning unused land into productive aquaculture spaces. With proper planning, it allows families to produce fish for consumption or income without depending on large-scale infrastructure. The state government's push for community-based aquaculture has helped farmers like Sasikumar receive technical support.
'I learnt from people around me, by observing, failing, and trying again. This whole farm is built on trial and error. And love,' Sasikumar tells TNIE.
