Bhubaneswar: A field day on aquaculture was organised at Aquaculture Field School (AFS) at Sarakana of Balianta in Khurda district Wednesday wherein an interaction was conducted between farmers and scientists.
A team of scientists from ICAR-CIFA participated in the interface, sources said.
The scientists attended to the queries related to fish production instantly in local language and collected feedback from the fish farmers on how they managed aquaculture during Covid-19 pandemic.
Around 80 fish farmers participated in the event. The fish farmers were also made aware about the latest breakthrough in freshwater aquaculture and related enterprises.
On the occasion, fish farmer Padmashri Batakrushna Sahu was felicitated for acting as a role model for others in practicing scientific fish farming.
Sahu, a farmer from Sarkana village of Khurda’s Balianta block, started pisciculture in 1986. He trained many farmers in spawn production through traditional breeding methods. He also imparted training to students of several colleges in state. Sahu was conferred with Padmashri in 2020, sources said.
Sahu was felicitated by BP Mohanty, Assistant Director General (Inland Fisheries) of ICAR at the event. Mohanty congratulated Sahu for his long association with ICAR-CIFA.
Sahu also briefly described about his 40 years of association with fisheries and CIFA.
“In the initial years, scientists from KVK and CIFA visited my farm and guided me in breeding and other activities. Whatever little I achieved is only because of CIFA,” Sahu said.
ICAR-CIFA director SK Swain, during his address, urged the fish farmers to follow advanced practices for sustainable fisheries. He also encouraged the fish farmers to draw advantage from the AFS. The ICAR-CIFA had piloted the first AFS at Sarakana in 2009.
