Port Blair, Nov 27: Feed based aquaculture has immense potential to augment fish production in the Islands. In aquaculture, around 60% of the production cost is covered by feed and feeding management. Hence the profitability, sustainability and health of aquaculture systems depend on the quality of feed and feeding practices. To facilitate the entrepreneurship in feed based aquaculture, a training programme on “Entrepreneurship Development in Feed Based Aquaculture” was organized for the Island farmers during 23rd – 27th November, 2020 at ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair with the financial support from NABARD, Port Blair. During the programme, farmers were exposed to various facets of feed based aquaculture such as candidate species for culture, selection of feed ingredients, familiarization with feed mill & machineries, hands-on training on carp grower and starter feed preparation, types of feeding methods, storage of fish feed & ingredients, record keeping & harvest of fish. Besides, farmers were taken for field visit to a model fish farm at Bimblitan. In order to develop entrepreneurship, details on formation of SHGs/ FPOs and opportunities through various schemes for financial support were also deliberated to the farmers.
During the feedback session of valedictory function, some of the farmers have expressed their willingness to establish their own fish feed mill and urged ICAR-CIARI to provide the technical backstopping and financial institutions for their support. In his presidential address, Dr. B.A. Jerard, Director, ICAR-CIARI appreciated the interest of farmers and informed that the fish feed mill facility of ICAR-CIARI can be extended as an incubation facility to build up the confidence of farmers on entrepreneurship development. Mr. V. Mashar, GM, NABARD, Port Blair in his chief guest address, lauded the role of ICAR-CIARI in popularizing the fish feed among the Island farmers and also deliberated the avenues for financial support. Earlier, Dr. R. Kiruba Sankar, Head of Division of Fisheries Science welcomed the gathering and Dr. K. Saravanan, Scientist and the Course Director of the programme has explained about the activities conducted under the training programme. The programme ended with vote of thanks from Dr. L.B. Singh, Head, KVK, Sippighat. The prepared feeds were distributed to the farmers during the programme. A total of 18 farmers from Wandoor, Manglutan, Hasmatabad, Guptapara and Collinpur have attended the training programme.
