December 23, 2009

Cargill works with local fish producers in Hunan

The East Dongting Lake Natural Reserve in Hunan has set up the first volunteer community, which aims to educate fish producers in scientific fish farming.

The community, jointly organised by Cargill, an international producer of food and agricultural products, and the natural reserve, invited dozens of local fish producers to share their experiences in fish farming.

The training includes courses on the right timing and amount of food the fish should be fed.

Henry Wong, Cargill's China Aqua Business Development Manger, said during a training of fish farming that overdue feed might cause water pollution.

"Some fish are quite picky about food," he said. "The feed they refuse to eat would sink and rot on the bottom of the lake, eventually causing water pollution."

The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a leading non-government organisation for global conservation work, is helping Cargill to set up volunteer communities in the country's other nature reserves.