Port Blair, Feb 06: The valedictory function of farmers fellowship of one month duration was held on 06.02.2020. The fellow programme on scientific goat, rural poultry and operation of mini incubator w.e.f. 09.01.2020 to 06.02.2020 was organized under the DBT BIOTECH KISAN HUB project at Animal Science Division, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair. A total of 25 farmer fellows including 16 women and 8 unemployed youth from various villages of Wandoor, Nayagaon, Ranchi Basti, Calicut and Brichgunj were imparted the training. During the programme, Dr.Ajay Verma, Director, DAH&VS was the Chief Guest and Dr.B.A.Jerard, Director, ICAR-CIARI Port Blair presided over the function. The function was attended by Dr.A.Kundu, HoD & Course Director, ASD, Dr.Jai Sunder, Hub Facilitator & Course Director, Dr.S.K.Zamir Ahmed, I/c Social Science Section all the HoDs and Scientists. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest congratulated the ICAR-CIARI for organizing appropriate training programme for the development of the entrepreneurship for doubling the farmers’ income through poultry, goatery and mini incubator. He briefed about the various schemes of the Animal Husbandry Dept for the benefit of the farmers and urged the farmers to come forward to avail the scheme on vaccination as the source of income. He also cited examples of success stories of farmers who adopted the scheme of vaccination and became successful entrepreneur on poultry and organic kitchen garden. Dr.B.A.Jerard, Director, ICAR-CIARI appreciated the scientists of the Animal Science Division for selecting the training programme on goat, poultry and mini incubator as these are the important tools to raise the agricultural GDP. He expressed his happiness that most of the trainees are the women and unemployed youth as they can start their own entrepreneurship for their livelihood security and can become a role model to show-case the Island for good agricultural model. Dr.A.Kundu, informed that this is first of its kind of farmers fellow programme in these islands and urged all the farmers to form a group to initiate development of entrepreneurs and asked the scientist to take up impact study. Dr.Jai Sunder, presented the brief report of one month fellow programme. He informed that the knowledge on scientific goatery, poultry and mini incubator was improved by 63.65 per cent based on the post evaluation of the farmers fellows. During the training period, farmers were also exposed with NABARD and SBI officials for availing loans and subsidized schemes to establish the goat and poultry farming and to purchase mini incubator. Farmer fellows were also taken to successful goat and poultry farmer and Animal Husbandry Dept to have exposure on scientific livestock farming. Farmers expressed their confidence in their feedback that they can start scientific goat and poultry farming of their own. They also said that they became confident enough to implement the scientific practices. Three manuals viz., scientific goat farming, scientific poultry farming and mini incubator were released on the occassion. Programme was coordinated by Dr.S.K.Zamir Ahmed. Manuals and certificates were issued to the farmer fellows. The fellowship amount of Rs.10,000/- per farmer will be credited to their account to support the establishment of goatery and poultry and mini incubator. Dr.A.K.De, Scientist &Principal Investigator (PI) welcomed the gathering and Dr.T.Sujatha, Sr.Scientist &PI proposed vote of thanks.
