Manipur: Fisheries outreach campaign held in Imphal to boost fish farming in state

The Department of Fisheries, Government of Manipur, in collaboration with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, organized an Outreach Campaign for fish farmers and fishers in Manipur on Wednesday. The event took place at the Directorate of Fisheries office complex in Lamphelpat, aiming to educate participants on various welfare schemes available to fish farmers in the state.

Approximately 80 fish farmers and fishers, including representatives from 4 Fish Farmers Producers Organizations (FFPOS), 3 primary fishery co-operative societies, 5 entrepreneurs, 5 progressive women farmers, and officials from the State Fisheries Department, took part in the event.

Addressing the gathering, Heisnam Balkrisna Singh, Director of Fisheries, emphasized the need to bridge the gap between fish demand and supply in Manipur to reduce reliance on imported fish. He urged the state's fish farmers to take full advantage of the schemes provided by the Ministry of Fisheries to promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the region.

A.K. Borah, Senior Executive at NFDB, Guwahati, shared insights on the department’s recent initiatives aimed at enhancing sustainable fish production and improving fisheries infrastructure. He encouraged the farmers to utilize the benefits of these schemes and spread awareness at the grassroots level.

Dr. H. D. Joshi, Scientist at the Fishery Survey of India, Mumbai, highlighted the importance of outreach programs in educating fish farmers about the available fisheries schemes.

Prominent fish farmer Angom Tiken Singh, representing a local fisheries co-operative society, expressed gratitude for the practical and impactful outreach program, which he believed would significantly benefit the fish farmers of Manipur.

The technical session featured several expert lectures. Dr. Nandkishor Ingole, Monitoring and Evaluation Expert at NFDB, Hyderabad, provided detailed information on various fisheries schemes such as PMMSY, PM-MKSSY, FIDF, and others. Dr. Suresh Chandra Kabdwal, Principal Scientist at ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, discussed the potential for coldwater fisheries in Manipur's hill districts, focusing on livelihood generation for tribal farmers. Gaihiamngam Kamei, Scientist at ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Visakhapatnam, spoke on the prospects of fish processing and value addition in the state to support entrepreneurship.

Laishram Jayarani, Additional Director of Fisheries, concluded the event with a vote of thanks and acknowledged the initiative of the Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India, for organizing the outreach campaign and involving experts from various fisheries institutions.