Empowering Rural Communities through Sustainable Fish Farming in Karbook Range

The Tripura JICA Project (SCATFORM) successfully organized a one-day training program on Composite Fish Farming. This program, conducted on September 20th at the Jatanbari Town Hall of Karbook Range was designed to empower members of Self-Help Groups (SHG) and the Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) from the Karbook range in Karbook Subdivision, Gomati Tripura District.

The primary focus of this training was to provide technical expertise in Composite Fish Culture while inspiring participants to embrace scientific fish farming as a sustainable and income-generating activity within the check dams constructed under the SCATFORM program.

The event was inaugurated by Pranajit Bhowmik, SDFO Karbook and commenced with a warm welcome by Kanjuri Mog Chowdhuri, the Forest Ranger of Karbook Range.

At its core, the training aimed to disseminate technical know-how about Composite Fish Culture, empowering SHG and JFMC members to engage in scientific fish farming within allocated check dams. Beyond improving the livelihoods of these communities, this initiative serves as a catalyst to inspire other SHGs to adopt fish farming as a sustainable income source. The training was carefully designed to create positive changes in the knowledge, skills and attitudes of SHG members towards scientific fish farming.

The training program was thoughtfully divided into both theoretical and practical sessions. The morning theory session featured presentations by esteemed experts: Shri Gouranga Chandra Sarkar, Superintendent of Fisheries, Tripura JICA Project (SCATFORM) and Smt. Sonalika Saha, Fishery Expert, Tripura JICA Project (SCATFORM).

Participants actively engaged in a practical demonstration covering various aspects of fish farming. This hands-on session included the application of lime, examination of natural live food (plankton), pH level assessment, inspection of water insects and proper fish feeding techniques. It's noteworthy that all women SHG members played an active role in the practical session, showcasing their enthusiasm for embracing scientific fish farming. The practical session was conducted by the Fishery Expert of Tripura JICA Project (SCATFORM).

Following the training, the SCATFORM initiative will provide one-time financial assistance to Twishok SHG to support the adoption of composite fish culture for sustainable livelihood generation. This initiative is aimed at inspiring other SHGs to eagerly embrace fish farming as a means of income generation.

The successful execution of both theoretical and practical sessions was made possible thanks to the dedication and support of the Range Officer, Beat Officer, and other project staff who meticulously arranged all the necessary facilities.

The Tripura JICA Project (SCATFORM) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to capacity development and empowering rural communities. Similar training programs are conducted year-round for JFMC and SHG members as part of the ongoing efforts.

The training program culminated with a vote of thanks from RMU Chief, Karbook, expressing gratitude for the collaborative endeavors aimed at empowering rural communities through scientific fish farming.