The SAARC Agricultural Centre (SAC), Dhaka and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) jointly launched a five-day training programme on “Mass Breeding and Culture Technique of Catfish” at the ICAR-CIFA here on Monday.
Many delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri lanka have joined programme, which is being held with the objectives of capacity building among the SAARC member States in aquaculture, sharing of ideas, commonalities and solutions among the stakeholders of the SAARC countries working on catfish farming.
Former ICAR-CIFA Director Dr N Sarangi graced the programme as chief guest. Among other dignitaries, the APED’s catfish farming researcher Dr AK Sahu, SAC’s Senior Programme Specialist (Fisheries) SS Giri and ICAR-CIFA Director Dr SK Swain had highlighted the importance of species diversification in aquaculture, fish biodiversity conservation in the water bodies of the South Asian region and potential of catfish farming in the SAARC region.
The programme was coordinated by a team ICAR-CIFA scientists, Dr SK Sahoo, Dr Rajesh Kumar, Dr Pankaj K Tiwari and Dr BR Pillai.