ICAR-CIBA has inaugurated its Navsari-Gujarat Research Centre (NGRC) in Navsari Agricultural University (NAU) campus, Navsari, on 7th June 2018 by Dr J.K. Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries), ICAR, in the presence of Shri. R.C. Patel, Member of Legislative Assembly, Navsari, Dr C.J. Dangaria, Vice Chancellor, NAU and Dr K.K. Vijayan, Director, ICAR-CIBA, Chennai. Shri.R.C.Patel, Member of Legislative Assembly, Navsari, in his presidential remarks, expressed his happiness on establishing CIBA’s centre in Navsari and sought the help of CIBA to bring the technologies for quality seed, cost-effective and quality feed and diseases management products to the shrimp farming sector of Gujrat, so that the cost of production can be reduced. He requested ICAR for recommending the state government to give agriculture status to aquaculture so that the benefits available to agriculture can be availed by the fish farmers. He urged the farmers of the region to make the maximum benefit from CIBA centre established in NAU campus.
Dr J.K. Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries) in his inaugural address thanked Vice Chancellor and all the officers of NAU for hosting the NRGC in Navsari Agricultural University campus. Aquaculture is the sector that gives food security along with with financial and nutritional security and job opportunities. Advantage of brackishwater aquaculture is that this water resource is not competing with drinking or agriculture water. ICAR is working on building synergy between the organizations in the development of the aquaculture sector and urged the scientist of CIBA and NAU to work with farmers so that the objective of FISH FOR ALL FOREVER is achieved. Dr C.J. Dangaria, Vice Chancellor of NAU underlined the opportunities in working together of CIBA and NAU in addressing the needs of the aquaculture farmers, also called for the cost-effective technologies for the benefit of the farmers.
High lighting the importance of CIBA centre in the west coast, Dr. K.K.Vijayan, Director, CIBA articulated that CIBA has the expertise in quality seed production, feed technology and aquatic animal health and underlined the importance of having partnership between fisheries college of NAU and CIBA in extending the technological support to the aqua farmers in the region. He wished that the entrepreneurial acumen of the Gujarat aquafarmers with CIBA’s support would contribute to realising the potential of Gujarat state to double their aquaculture production and progressive development of brackishwater aquaculture. He expressed that the exponential growth in seafood export reaching Rs.37,000 crores during the year 2017 is a milestone.
During the occasion, Dr.C.Gopal, Member Secretary, Coastal Aquaculture Authority, Govt. of India, Chennai, Dr Pravin Puthra, Assistant Director-General (Fisheries), ICAR and Dr N.H. Kelawala, Dean, Veterinary College, gave their facilitation and offered support for the newly established centre. Brackishwater farmers interaction meet was organised in collaboration with Navsari Agricultural University. Soil and Water Health cards were distributed to selected farmers of the region. Earlier Dr.P.KPatil, Principal Scientist, ICAR-CIBA, Chennai welcomed the guests and Shri. Pankaj Patil, Scientist, ICAR-CIBA presented the vote of thanks.
