A portable FRP Carp Hatchery is being installed in order to create a self-sufficiency of fish seed production
The ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneswar, Odisha has joined hands with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Bali Nature Life Society, an NGO as the technical partner, to help increase the livelihood of farmers at Kumirmari, Gosaba, South 24 Parganas, Sundarbans, West Bengal. Discovery Inc has been providing funding support for the work.
Farming is the main source of livelihood for the people living in the Delta; however, the soil’s salinity level does not allow intensive cultivation of the crops. This leads the people to depend on river, forest and non-timber forest products (crab collection, honey collection, fish farming, etc.) to earn a livelihood. At times they have to put their lives at risk and fall prey to Royal Bengal Tiger and also crocodiles.
Dr SK Swain, Director, ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneswar outlined the initiation of scientific fish farming in freshwater ponds to provide an alternative source of income for the community who have been struggling for their livelihoods.
The adopted ponds were stocked with 15 Kg Indian Major Carp Advance fingerings and beneficiaries are trained on post-stocking management measures. The application of lime and pellet feed was also demonstrated by a team of institutes’ scientists. The fish attained an average growth of about 55 to 65 gms in two months. A portable FRP Carp Hatchery is being installed in order to create a self-sufficiency of fish seed production.
The initiative intends to benefit 50 scheduled caste women representing five self-help groups namely – Annadata, Bagna, Golap, Priyajan and Shristi.
