How ICAR-CIFRI is Helping the Struggling Sunderbans Fish Farmers

Fish seed, feed, and lime, as well as technical assistance, were offered to 500 distressed fish farmers in Kultali, Sunderbans, by the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI).

ICAR-CIFRI, led by director B K Das, has also provided technical assistance and technology inputs for ornamental fish farming to rural women. Das explained, "The goal is to ensure that a Rs 32 lakh investment in a cluster of 500 fishermen in the area yields roughly Rs 2 crore."

555 persons received 3 lakh fish seed, 52.5 tonnes of fish feed, 10 tonnes of lime, and 55 ornamental units. There were also live demonstrations, mass awareness activities, and on-site training and capacity-building programmes.

Fish is an important element of people's lives, livelihoods, and diets in the Sunderbans. Every home has a pond in the backyard. The majority of their pisciculture harvest is used for personal consumption, with approximately 15% to 20% sold on the market.

Following the ICAR-CIFRI intervention, each household has sold 100-150 kg fish for Rs 10,000-15,000 on average in the last six months and has a 60 percent standing stock. "It is predicted that 200-300 kg of fish will be collected from backyard ponds, with an expected average income of Rs 22,000-30,000, resulting in an income of Rs 1.3 crore from this cluster aside from household consumption," Das said.

About ICAR-CIFRI

The Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) is an autonomous research institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research focused to inland fisheries management and development.

The Central Inland Fisheries Research Station, under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, was established on March 17, 1947 in Kolkata. The Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute was established in 1959, and the research station was moved to its own premises in Barrackpore. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, took over administrative control of the institute in 1967.