ICAR-CIFRI Trained Fish Farmers of East Champaran, Bihar to Enhance Skills and Strengthen Livelihoods

17^th September, 2024
East Champaran is Bihar's second most populous district, with abundant inland open water resources such as chaurs, mauns, rivers, canals, and reservoirs. The district's drainage system is run by the Gandak, Burhi Gandak, and Baghmati rivers as well as their tributaries.
­ Despite the district's abundant water resources, the supply of fish is insufficient to meet demand. Based on current demands, a 7-day training program on "Inland Fisheries Management" was conducted at ICAR-CIFRI in Barrackpore from September 11 to 17, 2024, as part of a skill development and capacity building initiative aimed at doubling fishermen's earnings.

This program included 31 active fishermen, including a fisheries official. Dr. B.K. Das, the institute's director, started the program by emphasizing the importance of fishermen learning skills in many aspects of inland fisheries management in order to secure their long-term livelihoods. He encouraged fishermen to acquire scientific knowledge to boost their productivity and production.
During training, the farmers were exposed to both theoretical and practical knowledge, as well as on-the-field demonstrations. In-house theoretical classes cover various aspects of inland fisheries management, such as pond construction and management, soil and water quality management, nursery and rearing pond management, composite fish culture, natural fish food organisms, candidate species for pond aquaculture in Bihar, induced breeding and hatchery management, fish health management, feed and feeding protocol, ornamental fish farming, climate change and concept of zero budget natural farming, enclosure culture, socio-economics and governance pattern in wetlands, and economics of various fish cultivation. Field trips included Halisahar fish farm, visit to ornamental fish market and East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), visit to Naihati fish market and fish hatchery, among others.
They were given access to the Institute's Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (RAS), Bio-floc units, ornamental hatchery units, and feed mill, as well as hands-on training on various need-based aspects such as basic water quality parameters, fish feed preparation using locally available feed ingredients, fish pathogen identification and remedial measures, and so on.
After completing the workshop, the participants received their certificate from Dr. S. Samanta, In-charge Director of ICAR-CIFRI, on September 17, 2024. He complimented all the participants on their successful completion of training. Dr. Dibakar Bhakta and Dr. M. Shaya Devi, scientists, coordinated the training program with able assistance from Shri. Sujit Choudhury, ACTO, and Mr. Manabendra Roy, TO, Dr. Avishek Saha and Ms. Sadrupa Bhowmick,.