Visakhapatnam Research Centre
Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav : Mangamaripeta
ICAR-CIFT has a tradition adopting the fishing villages especially of hinterlands where economically under-privileged fishers reside in more numbers with food and nutritional security as the need of the hour. Remote fishing villages adjoining Hirakud Reservoir were adopted. Once a village/fishing hamlet was identified for adoption, first step in the direction was to assess the socio-economic condition. The total population, male female ratio, literacy rate, basic amenities such as potable water, school facility, medical facility, electric power etc. were assessed. This is followed by the sources of income from fishing related activities that included varieties of fish available, type of fish sold in different seasons, marketing structure etc. It is observed that women fishers play important role in different ways in the form of assisting in gear fabrication, mending of fishing nets in leisure time, besides involving in procurement of fish from landing centres to sale of fish and fishery products. The other sources of income, awareness and technological needs of the fishers were identified before taking up any transfer of technology.
As of now a new mandate has been extended to nearly 6,000 scientists functioning at the various centres and institutes of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and over 15,000 scientists working with state agricultural universities under a programme Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (MGMG) launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji at Patna on 25 July, 2015. The fishing village Mangamaripeta formally not been adopted few months back albeit, the report furnished below indicates how ICAR-CIFT reacts to the needs of fishers on quotidian basis.
ICAT-CIFT conducts one day Training and Skill Development in Post harvest Fisheries
ICAR-CIFT Visakhapatnam Research Centre conducted one day Training and Skill Development in Post harvest Fisheries for the benefit of women fishers of Mangamaripeta on 16 July, 2015. The programme was organized in collaboration with an NGO, OXFARM. Dr. M.M. Prasad, Principal Scientist of the Centre presided over the function and said while addressing the trainees that the fish harvested from unhygienic sources and the one that are not handled in hygienic conditions after harvest not only spoil due to bacterial growth and other biochemical reactions but also are harbingers for health hazard for the consumers in the form of pathogenic bacteria. The consumption of the same and subsequent ill health will seriously affect livelihood till proper recovery especially among rural poor. He added that fish harvested from cleaner environments and with better postharvest handling will have better quality, shelf life and also fetch better price. The talk was followed by demonstration on hygienic handling of post harvest fish and salt curing of the same. The programme benefited 60 women fishers. Shri G. Bhushanam, Technician provided assistance in the programme.