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Distribution cum Awareness Programme to promote self-reliance among Rural Tribals of Sundarbans

6^th September, 2024
The Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is not only renowned for its unique mangrove forests but also home to a significant population of rural tribal communities. These communities face challenges such as limited access to education, healthcare, sustainable livelihoods, and inputs. In order to address these issues and empower these communities, an ‘Input Distribution cum Awareness Programme’ was organized with the objective of providing vital fisheries inputs and training to promote sustainable development and self-reliance among the tribal community through small-scale aquaculture development. The programme was held on 6 September 2024 at Joygopalpur,Basanti, in the Sundarbans region, in collaboration with Joygopalpur Gram Vikas Kendra under ‘Scheduled Tribe Component’. The event saw the participation of various stakeholders, including local tribal community members, government officials, NGO representatives, and subject matter experts. Approximately 130 tribal fishers from various villages in the Basanti, Sundarbans attended the programme. The participants included men, women, and youth, representing the Santhal and Munda tribal communities of the region.

A series of interactive awareness sessions were conducted on small-scale aquaculture and sustainable fish production practices. Dr B.K Das, Director, CIFRI, provided guidance on small-scale aquaculture practices, fish disease management, and SIF conservation techniques to enhance aquacultural productivity and sustainability. Information on vocational training, micro-finance, self-help groups (SHGs), and alternative livelihood opportunities were provided to promote economic empowerment by Dr. Arun Pandit, I/C Fisheries Economic Section, CIFRI. After the awareness sessions, inputs like fish seed and fish feed were distributed to the participants, which will help them implement the knowledge gained and thus will improve their livelihoods.

The ‘Input Distribution cum Awareness Programme’ for promoting self-reliance among rural tribals of the Sundarbans was a significant step toward addressing the challenges faced by these communities. The programme successfully combined awareness-building with resource distribution, providing the necessary tools and knowledge for sustainable development. Continued efforts and collaboration among stakeholders will be essential to build on this success and ensure the long-term empowerment of the tribal communities of the Sundarbans.

The programme was successfully coordinated by Dr. Mitesh Ramteke, Scientist, CIFRI with technical assistance from Sri Sujit Choudhury, Manabendra Roy, Dr. Avishek Saha and Kausik Manadal.