CIFA Odisha centre celebrates National Fish Farmers Day

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, July 10:

The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) observed the 14th National Fish Farmers’ Day at its Kausalyaganga campus on the outskirts of the Odisha capital today.

cifaSpeaking on the occasion, Agriculture, Fishery and ARD Minister Pradeep Maharathy, the chief guest of the programme, highlighted the initiatives of the state Government in implementing the new farmer policies.

The minister made a case for more research on aquaculture diversification, fish genomics, proteomics and nanotechnology, water budgeting, ecosystem health and bioremediation, supply of good quality cheap fish and prawn feed to the farmers.

Maharathy emphasized water budgeting since water is the indispensable commodity for aquaculture.

“The promising technology which CIFA has produced must be used by the local farming community to enhance fish production and productivity. Partnership must grow among the stake holders to give a best environment for the farming communities,” he said.

Fish farmers’ day is commemorated in remembrance of scientists Dr K H Alikunhi and Dr. H.L. Chaudhury who had invented induced breeding technology on this day way back in 1957.

Addressing the gathering, CIFA Director Dr. P. Jayasankar said the invention has been hailed as a landmark achievement in the history of fishery in India and abroad. “During the last over two decades of devoted research, CIFA has contributed significantly toward development for breeding and culture of economically important fish and shellfish, use of plastics in aquaculture like FRP portable hatchery, feeds for different life stages of fish, disease diagnostics kits, improved rohu Jayanti, CIFABROODTM, Hybridization detection kit and other useful technologies for the farmers. Director, CIFA emphasized on the need of the linkage among Odisha DOF, CIFA, KVKs and other stakeholders for aquaculture development,’ he said.

Binshnupada Sethi, Commissioner cum Secretary, Fishery & ARD, Govt. of Odisha was the Guest of Honour on this occasion. Shri P. Krishna Mohan Director, Fisheries, Govt of Odisha was also present on this occasion.

Around 100 fish farmers from Odisha, West Bengal, Manipur and Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) of Assam were present at the event. Seven fish farmers from different parts of India were felicitated at the function. The awardees also shared their experience in fish farming with the scientists. The awadees were Laxmi Sethi, Chaitanya Tudu, Bhim Sardar, Pulin Kumar Behera, Hebal Mushahari, Lakhswar Boro and Karunakar Senapati.

A scientist-farmer interaction session was also organized on the day aiming at providing solution to the problems faced by the farmers in pisciculture.

 

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