Micro-Enterprises

Fish Farming

During the last several years, it has become very clear that the very rapid growth in the number AIM ministry co-workers, Christian converts and church plantings could not be sustained by simply relying on donations and support from America and Europe. The answer is beginning to be realized through All India Mission's micro-economic programs.

In 2007, it was decided that the development of a Fish Farming Program would be one of the most effective ways to make many of the ministry’s 500+ pastors more self sufficient. The economics of fish farming in India are fairly simple, straightforward and successful:

• A 100’ X 100’ fish pond is dug with simple earthmoving equipment for $5,000.
• 6,000 rehu minnows are purchased for $100, and placed in the fish pond.
• The fish eat only rice husks and the algae that grows naturally in the pond, and within two years the tiny minnows will grow to three pounds.
• The fish are then harvested and sold in village markets (Fish is very much in demand so rehu sell for $2.50 each).
• This cycle is restarted after harvest and repeated every two years for $100.

In 2008, AIM initiated a pilot fish farm project which is in the process of validating the venture. In addition, we started a second fish farm in June of 2010, in which the rehu are growing twice as fast as the rehu in the first fish farm due to the quality of the water. We put over 10,000 rehu minnows in the second fish farm, and each fish will grow to weigh over one pound. Each fish farm will take care of 10 pastors and their families.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: The total cost to begin each new fish farm is $5,100. The total cost to support one pastor and his family is $500 through our fish farm project.