Training on “Alternative livelihood options for fishers”- at ICAR-CIFRI, Kochi
One day training programme on “Alternative Livelihoods option for Fishers” was organized by ICAR-CIFRI Kochi Centre on 14th June 2019. Twenty-seven Scheduled Caste fishers from various districts, Alappuzha (4), Kottayam (5), Ernakulam (17) and Kollam (1) of Kerala participated in the programme. Dr. Rani Palaniswamy, OIC, CIFRI Kochi Centre welcomed all the fishers to this programme. She encouraged the participants to gain know how from these training and harness the schemes promoted by the state and central agencies for their livelihood improvement. The programme was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Mrs. Maja Jose, Deputy Director of Fisheries (Training), Ernakulam. She suggested that CIFRI has predominant role in training interested disadvantaged communities to take up new initiatives in inland fisheries which suits them the best. The programme involved lectures taken by Dr. Deepa Sudheesan on ‘Fish culture systems in Inland open waters’ and by Dr. Thankam Theresa Paul on ‘Freshwater fish culture as an alternative livelihood for fishers’. Dr. Divu Damodaran, Scientist, CMFRI delivered lecture on cage culture of Lates calcarifer, Tiger prawn and Mud crab which can be carried out in the backwaters of Kerala. The fishermen actively participated in the programme and the discussion thereafter. The programme was coordinated by Shri. S. Manoharan, CTO and Mrs. Usha Unnithan.