From OFW to Successful Aquapreneur: How a Bilar Fish Farmer Found Success in Ulang and Tilapia Farming

In the heart of Bilar, Bohol, a remarkable transformation is taking place — a former overseas worker, now a thriving fish farmer, is showing how innovation, training, and hard work can turn dreams into reality.

Recently, Ms. Dalagan, a beneficiary of the Aquabiz School-Technology Business Incubation (ABS-TBI) project, successfully completed her second production cycle, harvesting 50.75 kilos of giant freshwater prawn (ulang) and a staggering 938.25 kilos of tilapia. Her aquaculture venture, set on two ponds totaling 1,400 square meters, flourished over just four months, using advanced techniques and a complete Package of Technology (POT) developed for tilapia-ulang polyculture.

Cultivating Success with Technology

The farming journey wasn’t just about placing fingerlings in water — it was science-backed and technology-driven. Key performance results included:

• Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR): 7.29 for ulang, 0.87 for tilapia

• Survival Rates: 41.23% for ulang, 46.91% for tilapia

• Average Weight: 19.4 grams for ulang and 398 grams for tilapia

Through the support of BFAR-NFDC (Dagupan) and BFAR-Clarin (Bohol), Dalagan received critical agricultural inputs like feeds, fertilizers, lime, ulang post-larvae, and tilapia fingerlings. The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) also equipped her with extensive lectures and hands-on training, ensuring she was well-prepared to take on the challenges of aquaculture.

From Zero Knowledge to Empowered Farmer

For Dalagan, this project was life-changing. Coming into aquaculture with no prior experience, she credits the hands-on nature of the training for her rapid learning curve.

“Malaki ang impact sa akin ng project na ito kase wala akong experience sa aquaculture pero nung na-involve ako, throughout sa pag-aalaga marami akong natutunan, kase hands-on din ako,” she shared.

What she learned, she now enthusiastically shares with customers who visit her farm — proudly serving not just fresh produce, but also knowledge about sustainable fish farming.

Immediate Returns, Sustainable Growth

Dalagan encourages more Filipinos to venture into aquaculture, citing the quick return on investment as a major advantage.

“Maganda ang fish farming, mabilis ang return of income kase within 3-4 months pwede mo nang i-harvest ang tilapia, depende sa pag-aalaga. Huwag kang mag-give up.”

Every Sunday, you’ll find her at the Bilar Market, where she stands out as the only vendor selling live tilapia — a testament to the success and visibility that fish farming and technology adoption can bring.

ABS-TBI: Nurturing Future Aquapreneurs

Dalagan’s story is just one shining example of the impact of the ABS-TBI project. By promoting mature aquaculture technologies and equipping fisherfolk with critical skills, DA-NFRDI is helping create a new wave of empowered, sustainable, and profitable aquapreneurs.

Photo by gaf clickz on Unsplash