[Prafulla Kaman]
MEBO, 29 Oct: Progressive farmer Popok Darin, of Kiyit village here in East Siang district, is showing a path of self-reliance through agriculture, horticulture and fish farming activities.
The 55-year-old farmer had to drop out of school after Class 12 in order to work to support his family. Today, Darin grows paddy, maize, pulses, oilseeds, bananas, etc, in the barren land on the left bank of the Siang river here, and taking care of his seven-member family.
He has also adopted fish farming in a large pond constructed in a low-lying area in Kiyit village. He is rearing various species of indigenous and improved varieties of fishes in the pond and earning a good income.
Darin says he does not have any formal training or education in fish farming, but took technical advice from the fishery scientists at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Pasighat.
He says that he has not received any financial assistance from any government agency for fishery development, but maintains the one-hectare fish pond on his own.
Darin advises the local unemployed youths to engage themselves in horticulture and other income generation activities for self-reliance, “instead of spoiling their valuable time and energy in search of government jobs.”
