Azolla Cultivation Farming in India 2026
Grow a fast multiplying fern in small ponds as cheap, protein rich feed for cattle, poultry and fish
Overview
Azolla is a small floating water fern that grows extremely fast on the surface of shallow water and is rich in protein, making it a cheap, sustainable feed supplement for dairy cattle, poultry, goats, pigs and fish. It hosts a nitrogen fixing partner, so it multiplies quickly and can be harvested every day once a bed is established. Farmers grow it in low cost pits or tanks lined with plastic, using little land and water, which suits small and marginal dairy farmers and landless livestock keepers. Feeding azolla can reduce bought feed costs and may help milk yield, and it is also used as a green manure and to grow as feed for fish ponds. The setup is simple and inexpensive, but beds need daily care and can crash if neglected. Treat any productivity or savings figures as indicative, since they vary with management and season.
Climate
Azolla grows best in warm humid conditions with temperatures roughly between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius and partial shade. It slows in cold winters and can be damaged by very high temperatures and strong direct sun, so beds are often kept under shade nets or trees, especially in hot regions. It needs shallow standing water kept clean and at the right depth, and good but not harsh light. In most of India it can be grown year round with simple seasonal adjustments, slowing in peak summer and winter and flushing in mild weather, making it a flexible low input feed source.
Soil
Azolla needs no soil to root in, only a shallow water bed. A common setup is a pit about two metres by one metre, lined with a strong plastic or silpaulin sheet over a smooth base free of sharp stones, holding water about ten to fifteen centimetres deep. A thin layer of fertile soil is spread on the sheet, then cow dung slurry and a little superphosphate are added as nutrients before introducing azolla. The bed should be partly shaded and easy to reach for daily harvest and water top up. Multiple beds can be built side by side to raise output, and the same lined pit lasts a long time.
Planting & Spacing
Set up the lined bed, add soil, cow dung slurry and a pinch of superphosphate, fill with clean water, and let it settle for a day. Then add fresh pure azolla as starter culture, spread evenly over the surface, ideally sourced from a clean reliable bed or a Krishi Vigyan Kendra so it is free of pests and other weeds. Within one to two weeks it covers the surface and can be harvested daily. Add a small dose of cow dung and superphosphate every few days to keep growth strong, and top up water to maintain depth. Start with one bed to learn the routine before adding more.
Varieties
The most widely cultivated species in India is Azolla pinnata, with Azolla microphylla and other hybrids also used for feed because they grow fast and tolerate local conditions. What matters most is starting with a clean, pure, healthy culture rather than the exact species, since contaminated starter can bring in pests, algae or other weeds that crowd out the azolla. Source starter from a research station, Krishi Vigyan Kendra or a well managed bed, and keep a small backup bed so you can restart quickly if a bed crashes. Avoid collecting unknown azolla from natural water bodies that may carry pests or pollutants.
Care & Management
Daily care keeps an azolla bed productive. Harvest a portion every day so the bed does not get overcrowded, which would slow growth and turn it brown. Add cow dung slurry and a little superphosphate every few days, top up water to keep depth, and remove any algae, insects or dead matter. Once every few weeks, partly empty and clean the bed and restart with fresh culture, because nutrient buildup and pests reduce yield over time. Keep the bed partly shaded, protect from heavy rain that dilutes and overflows it, and from direct hot sun. Rinse harvested azolla before feeding to remove cow dung smell.
Pests & Diseases
Azolla beds mainly fail from poor management rather than diseases. Overcrowding when not harvested, nutrient buildup, contamination by algae, mosquito larvae, snails and insect pests, and extreme heat or cold are the usual causes of a bed crashing and turning brown or reddish. Heavy rain can dilute nutrients and wash azolla out, while a torn liner leaks water. Prevention is daily harvesting, periodic cleaning and restarting, shade in hot months, covers against heavy rain, and starting from a clean pest free culture. Keeping a backup bed lets you recover quickly if one bed is lost.
Yield & Harvest
Once the bed is full, azolla can be harvested daily by scooping out a portion with a net or sieve, leaving enough to regrow. A typical small bed of about two by one metre commonly yields in the range of half a kilogram to one kilogram of fresh azolla per day under good management, with wide variation by season, light and care. The harvest is rinsed and fed fresh to livestock, mixed with regular feed, or partly dried for storage. Because it regrows so fast, a few beds can supply a daily feed top up for a small herd or flock. Treat the per day figures as indicative.
Cost & Profit
Azolla is one of the cheapest feed enterprises to set up, needing only a lined pit, soil, cow dung, a little superphosphate and starter culture, with low recurring cost. Its main economic value is in reducing the cost of bought concentrate feed for dairy cattle, poultry and other livestock, and possibly supporting milk yield, rather than direct sales, though some farmers sell fresh or dried azolla and starter culture to others. Because inputs and labour are low, the savings on feed usually outweigh costs quickly for a livestock keeper. Returns depend on how much bought feed it replaces, so view it as a cost saver and supplement rather than a high cash income crop.
These are indicative ranges. Actual cost and income vary by region, market and management, so verify locally.
Market & Demand
The main use of azolla is on the farm itself as a feed supplement for the grower's own dairy cattle, poultry, goats, pigs or fish, which is where most of its value lies. Beyond this, there is a small market for selling fresh or dried azolla to other livestock keepers and for selling clean starter culture to farmers setting up new beds, sometimes through Krishi Vigyan Kendras and farmer groups. Dried azolla powder has a niche as a feed ingredient. Demand grows with low cost sustainable livestock farming, but azolla is best seen as an input you produce and use, with occasional surplus sales, rather than a standalone cash market product.
Subsidy & Support
Azolla units are supported as a low cost feed and fodder activity under various livestock, dairy and natural farming programmes, often promoted by Krishi Vigyan Kendras, the dairy development and animal husbandry departments and ATMA. The National Livestock Mission and state fodder development schemes encourage low cost feed options like azolla, and self help groups may get help for units and training. Because each unit is inexpensive, support is usually in the form of demonstrations, training, starter culture and small input assistance rather than large subsidies. Confirm current support, training and any assistance with your nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra, veterinary or animal husbandry office before starting.
Where to grow it in India
Frequently asked questions
What animals can be fed azolla?
How much space and water does an azolla bed need?
Why does an azolla bed turn brown and stop growing?
Can I earn money directly from azolla?
Where do I get starter azolla culture?
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