Port Blair, Oct 29: A 5-day training programme for capacity building on Conservation of Nicobari fowl on Community Basis-cum-Field visit was organized at Car Nicobar recently under the Tribal Sub Plan. Altogether, 101 Nicobari farmers including 80 tribal farm women from Tamaloo and Big lapathy villages attended the programme. Mr Pal Benjamin Paul, 1st Captain, Tamaloo village and Mr Manuah Thomas, 1st Captain, Biglapathy were the chief guests of the programme. They motivated tribal farmers to join hands to conserve the native Nicobari fowl on community basis.
During 5 days programme, Dr T Sujatha narrated the importance of Nicobari fowl and its conservation in these Islands, nutritional management of Nicobari fowl using locally available feed ingredients was narrated and suggested the simplified balanced feed formulae for rural poultry. Dr. Zachariah George, SMS, Car Nicobar explained the important role of Nicobari fowl, the prestigious native poultry germplasm of A&N Islands. He described the management on breeding fowl and health of rural poultry.
Field visits were made to all the target groups to whom demonstration shelters for poultry have been constructed and Nicobari fowl have been distributed. It was appreciable that Nicobari chicks are being hatched out of Nicobari fowl breeding stocks given to tribal farming community with an aim of improving the population of indigenous Nicobari fowl that are endangered. Shri. Benjamin Paul appreciated the continuous input support and technical guidance being given by ICAR-CIARI towards conservation of Nicobari fowl. The Deputy Commissioner, Nicobar, Smt Neha Bansal, also appreciated the efforts being placed by ICAR-CIARI for the development of livestock farming at Car Nicobar.
