Report by OD bureau, Boudh: The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar a premier institute for research and development in aquaculture  today organized  “stakeholders’ meet for promoting composite carp culture in Boudh’.

This meet is organized jointly with the Department of Fisheries, Govt. of Odisha to take stock of aquaculture development vis-a-vis the role stakeholders. Dr. P. Jayasankar, Director, CIFA in his message to the stakeholder meet urged all concerned institutions and agencies to bridge the gap between technology development and it implementation in the field. Sri MahendraKumar  Mallik,  District Magistrate & Collector, Boudh inaugurated the workshop.  The Collector congratulated the CIFA for organizing such an interaction with all those who are concerned with fisheries development in Boudh.

He asked the fisheries officers to develop fisheries in small reservoirs which are lying unutilized. Using MNREGA funds these reservoirs can be renovated and put to fish farming, he added. DrRadheyshyam, Principal Scientist in his address mentioned about the profitable aquaculture technologies developed by CIFA. Ponds and tanks with water retention of about 5-6 months can be used for fish farming with suitable technology package. Women can take up aquaculture technologies – seed rearing, table size fish production, ornamental fish farming, integrated farming etc. he emphasized.

During the last three years the Institute with financial support from DST, Govt. of India successfully demonstrated fish culture in community tanks involving poor women. Training was imparted in various aspects of freshwater aquaculture  and the representatives of few women SHGs were exposed to scientific fish farming practices at CIFA farm at Kausalyaganga on the outskirt of Bhubaneswar, informed Dr H K De, Senior Scientist.The collector inaugurated an exhibition on ‘Freshwater Aquaculture’ organized on the sidelines of the meet. Fish farming technologies, publications and products developed by the Institute were aesthetically displayed. Threeleaflets  “misritamatsyachasa’‘ farm made feed’ and ‘ women in aquaculture’ were  released. A new website on the project “Transfer of technology of composite carp culture through demonstration among SC/ST women in Boudh and Purulia” was also launched.

Three progressive farmers – RabindraKarna; Pramod Kumar Bishi and GiridhariRana were felicitated for adopting scientific means of fish farming and providing leadership to the community. Sri AnantaramBehera, Fishery Extension Officer of Kantamal was also presented with a certificate of appreciation for his commendable extension work towards promoting  fish farming. Among others who attended the meet were Sri Kumuda Chandra Mallick, OAS (S) Project Director, District  Rural Development Agency Boudh and Sri Surendra K Patra, District Fisheries Officer, Boudh; Sri Krupasindhu Das, Lead Development Manager, Boudh; Programme Coordinator, KrishiVigyan Kendra, Boudh; Fishery Extension Officers; scientists from CIFA , farm entrepreneurs , over one hundred farmers and farm women from Harbhanga, Kantamal and Boudh.

In the Plenary session held in the afternoon various issues concerning fish farming came up for discussion. The experts stressed on popularization of carp farming in seasonal waterbodies and adoption of scientific practices, stocking of bigger fingerlings, manuring, application of farm made feed, backyard pond culture etc.

The meeting was coordinated by Dr S C Rath, Senior Scientist and vote of thanks proposed by Sri A K Dash, Subject Matter Specialist, KrishiVigyan Kendra, CIFA.