Production of “Quality Fish Seed” is the primary goal of aquaculture sustainability. Aquaculture production systems in developing countries are primarily based on using unimproved species and strains of aquatic animals. Aquaculture genetics shows immense potential for enhancing production. In this context, a one day Farmers Scientist interaction meeting was organized at BORIGUMA Block Koraput District on 3 January 2025 under the aegis of the BIOTECH KISSAN project of DBT, Govt of India. ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneswar, and DBT-ILS, Bhubaneswar, jointly organized the program. The one-day interaction meeting highlights the benefit of improved varieties – Improved Rohu (Jayanti) and CIFA-Amrit Catla for the farming communities. The new varieties have the potential for better growth when compared to the local varieties, and the varieties reduce the farming period by more than 50 days to achieve marketable size. The improved rohu and CIFA Amrit Catla have an 18% and 15% genetic gain, respectively, at the end of the 14th generation of the Rohu and the 4th generation of the CIFA Amrit Catla selection program. A benefit-cost ratio of 1.7 can be achieved in Improved variety farming compared to Local varieties farming, where farmers get a B:C ratio of 1.5 while maintaining the same stocking density of 6000 advance fingerlings per hectare. The inputs like fish feed and lime were distributed to all beneficiaries. More than 25 women and 25 male farmers attended the meeting. Mr Sujeet Kumar Das, an entrepreneur from Nabarangpur, interacted with all the farmers. Dr. J K Sundaray, PI of the project, deliberated on the benefit of freshwater aquaculture with particular reference to improved varieties. He encourages the farmers to visit the entrepreneurs who have been successful in Nabarangpur and Koraput under ICAR CIFA’s guidance. Mr. L N Boxi, a Science communicator from the Biotech Kissan project, interacted with farmers on the scope of Aquaculture entrepreneurship and coordinated the Interaction meeting. The meeting was closed with a vote of thanks from Mr Devendra Panda, Block Development Coordinator.
Read more: https://cifa.nic.in/sites/default/files/FARMERS%20MEET%20AT%20BORIGUMA%20ON%203%20JAN%202025.pdf
Original link: https://cifa.nic.in/
