Bangladesh explores piloting high-tech fish and vegetables farming with Dutch technology

Dhaka, 6 May 2017: Bangladesh is exploring to pilot Dutch innovation and creativity in fish and vegetables production. A 5-member delegation from the Ministry of Science and Technology led by Minister Yeafesh Osman gained the first-hand experience about the Dutch technology for fish and vegetables production during their visit to the Netherlands from 3-5 May 2017. The other members of the delegation included Mr. Nurul Islam Milon, MP; BCSIR Chairman Mr. Md. Faruque Ahmed; Mr. Mohammed Zafar Ullah, Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Minister; and Mr. Md. Rezaul Karim, Principal Scientific Officer, BCSIR.

The delegation from the Ministry of Science and Technology visited one fish farm, one caviar production farm, one aquaponics farm and one fish production machinery firm in the Netherlands. The fish farm produces turbot fishes and different types of shellfishes using an intensive recirculated aquaculture system. This system uses mechanical and biological filters and recycled water leading to high quantity of fish production in a small area. The caviar farm produces caviar from osetra sturgeons, which are bred in special tanks in the farm. The farm also uses intensive recirculated aquaculture system. The aquaponics farm produces vegetables and fishes at the rooftop using aquaponics technique. The aquaponics technique combines vegetables and fish production: nutrients rich waste water from fish production is recycled as fertilizer for vegetables, and the plants-purified water is reused for fish production. The fish production machinery firm designs and builds intensive recirculated aquaculture system.

The visit of the delegation from the Ministry of Science and Technology to the Netherlands is expected to facilitate establishing physical facilities for technology transfer and innovation in Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR). The piloting of a fish farm using intensive recirculated aquaculture system and an aquaponics farm in BCSIR is expected to motivate private sector entities for production of expensive fish and vegetables round the year.