ICAR-CIBA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central University of Kerala (CUK) to promote brackishwater aquaculture in the north Kerala on 25 May, 2021. As part of the MoU it is proposed to undertake awareness and capacity development programmes on brackishwater aquaculture to educate people about the potential of brackishwater aquaculture and scope for societal development through entrepreneurship development, employment generation and rural development. Further, joint programmes will be initiated to address the farm level issues being faced by the farmers in the region. In the first phase, CIBA will provide critical inputs like seed and feed for the experiments and the CUK conducts the field level demonstrations with technical inputs from CIBA.
The MoU was signed on-line by Dr. Rajendra Pilankatta, Registrar-in-Charge of the Central University and Dr. K.K. Vijayan, Director CIBA in the presence of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. H. Venkateshwarlu. Prof. K.P. Suresh, Dean of Academics, Dean of School of Biological Sciences and Prof. Govinda Rao Duddukuri participated in the programme. Prof. H. Venkateshwarlu, the Vice Chancellor in his presidential address articulated that through this partnership the technological advancements would reach from the laboratories of CIBA to the lands of Kasaragod and Kannur areas which have high potential for brackishwater fish farming.
Dr.K.K.Vijayan, Director, CIBA underlined the significance of this partnership between a research institution and academic university in technology transfer, human resource development and popularization of brackishwater aquaculture in the north Kerala. He emphasized that brackishwater aquaculture has the potential to convert the unutilized resources to produce food, generate employment and economic benefits.
Prof. Sudha Kappalli, Head Zoology Department, CUK, Kerala and Dr.P.K.Patil, Scientist-in-Charge, Institute Technology Management Unit, CIBA coordinated the programme.