Sri Vijaya Puram, July 31: The ICAR-KVK N&M Andaman (CIARI) organized a three-day skill development training program on Indian Major Carp (IMC) Breeding from July 28th to 30th, 2025, at the community hall of UttaraGram Panchayat. This initiative was designed to inspire and empower rural farming communities to engage in freshwater fish farming, enhancing their understanding about scientific fish breeding techniques and broadening economic opportunities. The training program was inaugurated by Mr. Prakash Mondal, Pradhan of UttaraGram Panchayat. In his inaugural address, Mr. Prakash Mondal expressed his happiness and lauded the efforts of KVK and ICAR- CIARI for organizing such training program for the benefit of farming communities and motivated the farmers and farm women to focus on IMC breeding practices in their backyard ponds, highlighting how these methods can help generate a sustainable source of income and significantly enhance rural livelihoods.
Dr. V. Damodaran, Sr. Scientist & Head, highlighted the potential of the aquaculture sector in the North and Middle Andaman district, particularly with IMC species (Catla, Rohu, and Mrigal), to improve food security and generate economic opportunities for local communities. He stressed the need to adopt best practices and advanced technologies of fish breeding to boost productivity and ensure sustainable growth.
In the technical sessions, Mr. Subam Debroy, SMS (Fisheries Science) ICAR-KVK, delivered hands-on training on broodstock management and induced breeding techniques of IMCs. Hands on training on broodstock selection, conditioning, sex’s differentiation based on secondary sexual traits, induced breeding techniques using the synthetic hormone WOVA-FH, which reliably triggers ovulation in Indian Major Carps—typically at doses of 0.4–0.5 mL/kg body weight for females and slightly lower for males, Egg collection, feeding and larval rearing. The training covered accurate dose calculation, synchronization of sex ratios (1 female : 2 males), and common breeding issues and troubleshooting, such as minimizing hormone overdosing, managing environmental parameters etc.
Mrs. D.Soni, Fisheries Inspector, provided an overview of various sustainable fish farming methods and offered detailed insights into the PMSSY schemes. Earlier, Mrs. D. Soni, welcomed the gathering and provided an overview of the training program. The program was organized under the overall guidance of Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI, Sri Vijayapuram. About61rural youths participated and benefited from the training.
