KOCHI, 29 May 2021: ICAR's CIBA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central University of Kerala (CUK) to promote brackishwater aquaculture in northern part of the region.
As part of the MoU, it is proposed to undertake awareness and capacity development programmes on brackishwater aquaculture to educate people about the potential of brackishwater aquaculture and scope for societal development through entrepreneurship development, employment generation and rural development.
Further, joint programmes will be initiated to address the farm level issues being faced by the farmers in the region. In the first phase, CIBA will provide critical inputs like seed and feed for the experiments and the CUK conducts the field level demonstrations with technical inputs from CIBA.
The MoU was signed online by Registrar-in-Charge of the Central University Dr Rajendra Pilankatta, and CIBA Director Dr K.K. Vijayan. the Vice-Chancellor Prof. H. Venkateshwarlu in his presidential address articulated that through this partnership the technological advancements would reach from the laboratories of CIBA to the lands of Kasaragod and Kannur areas which have a high potential for brackishwater fish farming.
CIBA Director Dr.K.K.Vijayan underlined the significance of this partnership between a research institution and academic university in technology transfer, human resource development and popularization of brackishwater aquaculture in north Kerala. He emphasized that brackishwater aquaculture has the potential to convert the unutilized resources to produce food, generate employment and economic benefits.
Inaugurates ornamental fish hatchery, finfish seed rearing unit in Tamil Nadu
Last week, CIBA officially inaugurated three additional infrastructure viz., ICAR-CIBA’s Kovalam Experimental Station, Farmer Facilitation Centre and Brackishwater Ornamental Fish Hatchery and Finfish Seed Rearing Unit in Tamil Nadu.
The Kovalam experimental station having 65 acres of land including potential brackishwater areas, for the expansion of R&D, harmonizing with the Muttukkadu experimental station. This land has the access to estuarine/coastal/oceanic waters which is ideally suitable for the development of diversified farming systems, brood & nursery banks and fisheries based livelihood systems.
The Farmer Facilitation Centre is established at the Muttukadu Experimental Station of CIBA wherein any stakeholder who wishes to visit CIBA hatcheries, farms, feed mill and other laboratories can stay and do have hands-on experience. The utility of newly opened ornamental hatchery and finfish seed rearing centre, in the promotion of brackishwater ornamental fishes, with hatchery technology for 5 species of fishes including silver moony (angel fish), spotted scat, silver fish (milkfish), and Etroplus spp finfish hatchery complex.