ICAR-CIBA has organized an interaction meeting at Kottaikadu village, Chengalpattu District of Tamil Nadu with the beneficiaries under the Schedule Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) programme involved in brackishwater nursery rearing and cage farming of Asian seabass Lates calcarifer, and Mud crab farming in monoculture and polyculture system on 29th August 2024. About 60 members from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Magalir Meen Vazharpu Kuzhu, Kadal Raja Aangal Meen Vazharpu Kuzhu of Kottaikadu village and Dr. B.R. Ambethkar Aangal Meen Vazharpu Kuzhu of Kolathur village and Pattipulam village, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, attended the meeting. Shri. Sethuraman representing M/s. Global Agri System Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi participated in the meeting to evaluate the progress and implementation of the SCSP programme.
Dr. P. Mahalakshmi, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer of SCSP programmes of ICAR-CIBA delivered the welcome address and narrated about the implementation of the SCSP programmes taken up in these villages. She also explained about the infrastructure created for undertaking the nursery rearing and cage farming of Asian seabass and Mud crab farming. Dr. T. Ravishankar, Scientist In charge, Social Science division explained about the need for inclusive growth, uplifting the livelihood of the rural Scheduled Caste communities through adoption of ICAR- CIBA technologies. Further he narrated the importance of unity among the group members, creating corpus fund and effective utilization of their spare time for additional income generating activities.
Dr. R. Jayakumar, Principal Scientist, Fish Culture division explained about culture methods adopted by the SHGs in rearing the seabass seeds during nursery rearing and cage farming at Kottaikadu and Kulathur. He also stated that after hands on training and continuous hand holding from the ICAR – CIBA these groups generated revenue of Rs. 17,01,800 during 2022-24 by adopting scientific farming methods. This created confidence among SHGs as an additional income generation activity to adopt using the resources available in their villages. Mr.Aravind and Dr.K.P.Sandeep explained about monoculture of mud crab farming, polyculture of mud crab with milkfish and mud crab with indigenous shrimp, integration of seaweed with mud crab and crab fattening with modified crab boxes adopted by the farmers group at Pattipulam.
Shri. Sethuraman representing M/s. Global Agri System Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi interacted with the SHGs and explained importance of adopting online marketing techniques to directly attract the consumers and to get better price. Mr. Sethuraman individually discussed with each beneficiary and collected information about their involvement in the programme, techniques learnt, benefits obtained and level of their confidence to undertake the brackishwater aquaculture independently. The meeting was coordinated by scientific team from CIBA Dr. P. Mahalakshmi, Dr.T.Ravisankar, Dr.R.Jayakumar, Mr.R.Aravind and Dr.K.P.Sandeep.
