Rendahnya harga getah karet selama 10 tahun terakhir, membuat masyarakat Singkut-Jambi harus mencari alternative sumber pendapatan lain. Seorang warga kemudian melihat peluang pemijahan dan ternak lele yang dapat dikembangkan di daerah tersebut. Bekerjasama dengan Yayasan Pijar Kasih Nusantara dan berbekal pengalaman belajar singkat tentang pemijahan Lele di Candi Mulyo, beberapa warga yang sudah pernah mengikuti TOT 1 Pengembangan Kesehatan Masyarakat (PKM) bersepakat mendatangkan seorang pelatih dari Candi Mulyo untuk belajar budidaya lele dengan cara praktek secara langsung.
Dimulai dari proses pembuatan kolam, pemasangan plastik UV, pembuatan sarang ijuk penahan telur, pemilihan indukan, pemijahan sampai akhirnya bisa bertelur dan menetas, dan menghasilkan benih lele. Meskipun dalam pencarian indukan lele sempat mengalami kesulitan namun berkat penyertaan Tuhan dan kegigihan semua yang terlibat, pilot project pemijahan lele bisa dilaksanakan dalam waktu satu minggu. Berkat Tuhan yang lain, ternyata alam menyediakan cacing sutera di sekitar aliran sungai dekat pabrik tahu yang dapat digunakan sebagai bahan makanan benih lele yang masih berukuran sangat kecil. Adanya sumber daya lokal ini sangat menolong keberhasilan dan keberlanjutan proses pemijahan lele. Sejak awal 2017 sampai sekarang, program pemijahan lele ini mampu bertahan untuk men-supply kebutuhan akan benih lele, khususnya para anggota kelompok ternak dengan harga yang sangat bersahabat. Saat ini kelompok ternak lele juga menggandeng satu pedagang penerima yang siap membantu pemasaran lele. Meskipun masih belum berkembang dengan maksimal, kelompok peternak lele terus berproses meningkatkan kemampuan dan menambah hasil ternak agar dapat membantu kebutuhan konsumsi pribadi maupun memenuhi kebutuhan masyarakat setempat.
Catfish Farming Group in Singkut Jambi
The low price of rubber latex over the past 10 years caused the community of Singkut-Jambi to look for alternative sources of income. Local people then saw opportunities for spawning catfish that could be developed in the area. In collaboration with Pijar Kasih Nusantara Foundation and equipped with a brief training about catfish spawning at Candi Mulyo, some local people who had participated in TOT 1 for Community Health Development (PKM) agreed to invite a trainer from Candi Mulyo to learn about catfish cultivation through direct practice. The process started with making ponds, installing UV plastics, making nests for egg-retaining fibers, selecting broodstock, spawning until they can finally lay eggs and hatch, and produce catfish seeds. Even though the search for catfish stock for breeding was difficult, through God’s blessing and the persistence of those involved, the catfish breeding pilot project could be carried out within a week. Another blessing was that silk worms were found in the river near a local tofu factory and could be used as suitable food for the growing catfish. The availability of this local resource really helped the success and sustainability of the catfish spawning process. From early 2017 until now, this catfish spawning program has continued to supply the need for catfish seeds, and at affordable prices especially for members of livestock group. Currently, the catfish group is also partnering with a trader helping with catfish marketing. Even though it is still not fully developed, the catfish farmer group is still in the process of increasing their capacity and increasing their livestock products in order to help meet their personal consumption needs as well those of the local community.