CIFRI Awards
ICAR - CIFRI in collaboration with Hemnagar Sundarban Dreams and Rotary Royal Bhubaneswar organized two days stakeholder consultation cum mass awareness and ornamental fish farming live demonstration programme at 3 different places of Hilly region of Darjeeling district of West Bengal during 5th to 6th February, 2023 under SCSP and TSP programme.
On 5th February live demonstration was organised at Sukhiya Block where 50 beneficiaries belonging to SC community comprising 32 female and 18 male from 4 villages participated and inputs were distributed with a live demonstration to the beneficiaries. During mass awareness programme Director, ICAR-CIFRI Dr. B. K. Das outlined the objectives of the programme which will make the rural community economically empowered and Atmanirvar taking ornamental farming as a rural cottage enterprise which is a flagship programme of Honourable Prime Minister. The member of the GTA Shri Anjul Chawan appreciated the initiative taken by ICAR-CIFRI for the development of hill fisheries and extend all the support during the process of execution.
The coordinator of Sundarban Dreams Mr. Mustafa coordinated the programme and welcomed the dignitaries and briefly outlined the involvement of the NGO to support this type of activity to enhance the poor men's livelihood. Dr. Shreya Bhattacharya, RA gave a live demonstration explaining the procedures and setup of the inputs provided by the Institute for their day to day use for fish keeping. Atlast inputs comprising HDPE tank and accessories including ornamental fish, fish feed and medicine were distributed to the individuals. The fisheries experts from GTA 
and officials were present in this occassion. In the afternoon similar programme was organised at Mirik subdivision comprising 40 beneficiaries from 6 villages belonging to the SC community in the presence of manager Manju Tea Estate and office bearers of Sundarban Dreams. Inputs were distributed to 28 female and 12 male beneficiaries in the presence of Dr. B. K. Das, Director of the institute. Training and demonstration were done on individual basis at this spot with few beneficiaries at their backyard.On 6th February the stakeholder consultation cum live demonstration program were carried out for the tribal beneficiaries comprising 20 male and 10 female from 6 villages of Shittong, Khasmahal. The programme was conducted in the same manner as done on 5th February. The beneficiaries were sensitized on different aspects of ornamental
farming and their doubts regarding the marketability and growth of the fish was cleared. The farmers should take maximum care during the winter for the husbandry practices.Three whats app groups were created for experts, stakeholders and suppliers to advice the beneficiaries during the farming. Ornamental fish exporter and supplier cum farmer Mr. Kripan Sarkar and Mr. Rabin Mayur were also present to sensitize the beneficiaries. ICAR-CIFRI Youtube document on Ornamental fish farming and soft copy of ornamental fish farming book were also given to the beneficiaries and circulated in the whats app groups.
4 types of ornamental fish particularly live bearers e.g. Guppy, Molly, Platy and Sword tail were distributed to the first hand basis and as a hand holding to the beneficiaries. This was the first attempt to provide ornamental fish farming to the beneficiaries at the hilly region for their sustainable economic enterprise to the SC and ST community.
