On August 2nd, 2025, ICAR-CIBA organised a special farmers-scientists interaction programme to mark the release of the 20th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme at its headquarters, Chennai and its research centres at Kakdwip, West Bengal and Navsari Gujarat. These gatherings facilitated direct engagement between farmers and scientists and creating awareness on government initiatives and advancements in aquaculture.
At ICAR-CIBA HQ and Muttukadu Experimental Station (MES), Chennai, 125 participants consisted of farmers and other stakeholders from Kovalam, Srinivassapuram, and Pattipulam villages participated in the event. Prior to the Prime Minister’s address, scientists interacted with farmers, who shared their expectations from ICAR-CIBA. Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal provided insights into the scheme’s benefits, and beneficiaries shared their success stories. Dr. M. Kailasam, Dr. K. Ambasankar, Dr. M. Shashi Shekhar and Dr. P. Mahalakshmi also briefed the attendees on Asian seabass fish seed production, feed formulation and farming technologies. The Prime Minister’s speech was translated live into Tamil by Dr. A. Panigrahi, concluding with a vote of thanks by Dr. R. Jayakuamr.
At the Kakdwip Research Centre, West Bengal also live telecast of the Prime Minister’s address was arranged for 50 fish farmers from Sundarban, West Bengal. Before the telecast, Dr. Sanjoy Das, Principal Scientist, and other scientists from the centre addressed the farmers on various aspects of aquaculture.
Similarly, the Program at Navsari-Gujarat Research Centre, Gujarat, saw the participation of sixty-five farmers, including 45 women, from Sultanpur village. The event focused on promoting government schemes and highlighting brackishwater aquaculture as a sustainable livelihood option. Dr. Paresh Rathod, Dr. Ritesh Tandel, Dr. Pragya Das, and Mr. Pankaj Patil delivered expert talks on species diversification, integrated farming systems, and income generation. Participants also viewed the national live stream from Varanasi, expressing appreciation for the initiative and interest in adopting the shared technologies. The collective efforts across these three centers ensured widespread participation of beneficiaries and knowledge dissemination, reinforcing ICAR-CIBA’s commitment to farmer welfare and agricultural development.
