ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA), in collaboration with Society of Coastal Aquaculture and Fisheries (SCAFi) and Navsari Agricultural University (NAU), Gujarat successfully conducted the Brackishwater Aquaculture Farmers Conclave -2020 (BAFAC-2020) the first of its kind in the west coast during 19th and 20th Feb, 2020 at Surat, Gujarat. About 900 brackishwater farmers representing all the coastal states covering both east and west coasts of India, from West Bengal to Gujarat and inland states like Haryana Punjab and Rajasthan attended the programme, where framers from Maharashtra and Gujarat showed up in large numbers. On the opening day, farmers from outside Gujarat visited the shrimp farms, nurseries and processing plants in Surat to get a firsthand experience. Technical sessions with scientists and farmer presentations and experience sharing in national language were held on the second day, at the International Convention Centre, Surat. Shri.Anup Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Marketing, Govt. of Maharashtra inaugurated farmers conclave, and in his inaugural address he lauded the efforts of CIBA in organising the farmer’s conclave in the west coast, one of the firsts with farmer-to-farmer and farmer to scientists interactions, on pan India level. Dr.Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries), ICAR, New Delhi presided over the inaugural session of the conclave, highlighted the potential of brackishwater aquaculture in the country and benefits farmers can reap in on a sustainable mode. He congratulated CIBA for conducting farmers conclave in Gujarat and he outlined remarkable growth of the sector, where the farmers income in brackishwater sector has been multiplied over 3 times since 2010, and stressed up on the need of a sustainable approach to keep the growth trajectory. Shri.N.F.Patel, Department of Fisheries, Govt. of Gujarat in his special address promised the continued support of the state govt. to Navasari centre of CIBA for the development of brackishwater aquaculture in the state of Gujarat. He recalled the decision of the Gujarat Fisheries Minister for allocating 7.5 ha of farm land at Matwad, Navsari to the NGRC-CIBA for conducting research and trials for the development of technologies suiting to the west coast. Dr.S.R.Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, NAU, Navsari, Shri.Ketanbhai Desai, President of South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shri.Pradeep Navik of Gujarat Aquaculture Farmers Association, Dr.M.Manoj Sharma, President, Gujarat Feed Dealers Association and Rahul Sunil Bhagwagar, President, Surat Aquaculture Farmers Association offered their felicitations for conduction of BAFA-2020 at Gujarat and assured their full support and partnership for the programmes of CIBA in the coming days. Dr.K.K.Vijayan, Director, ICAR-CIBA and President, SCAFi & Convener, BAFAC-2020 in his welcome address articulated the significance of BAFAC-2020, its purpose and presented an overview on the development of brackishwater aquaculture sector with special reference to the shrimp farming and the way forward its sustainability.
During the occasion several farmer friendly publications brought out by CIBA in the vernacular languages were released. To commemorate the 5th year of launching of the Soil health Card by the Honourable Prime Minister of India, the Soil and Water Health Cards prepared based on respective farm samples were distributed to about seventy farmers in the region. Further, the Chief Guest handover a cheque for Rs.5,00,000 the income generated by the Om Sai Women Self Help Group, Matwad, Navsari, Gujarat by taking up Nursery rearing of finfishes with the facilitation of NGRC-CIBA.
In technical sessions, Subsequently Sixteen aquafarmers presented their experiences and success stories on species diversification, innovative practices in selection of quality seeds, nursery rearing of seabass and milk fish from eggs to fingerlings, diversification of brackishwater aquaculture with Indian white shrimp, milkfish farming, Cost effective and indigenous shrimp feed such as VanamiPlus , novel pond health management using products such as Planktonplus, innovative practices to prevent diseases in shrimp farming, biofloc based shrimp nursery, integrated aquaculture with agriculture, cage aquaculture, integration of aquaculture with agriculture crops and animal husbandry and issues related to credit and insurance. An interaction session on the farmer presentations where conducted with stakeholders, scientists and the govt. representatives in fisheries sector. Director, CIBA assured the stakeholders that the CIBA would extend technological and capacity building support on ‘partnership mode’ to the programmes initiated on the west coast by respective state governments for the development of brackishwater aquaculture. The conclave ended with the take home message summed up by Dr. M.Kumaran, principal scientist, CIBA and the organizing secretary of the BAFAC 2020 that the sustainable development of brackishwater aquaculture hinges on the joint and partnership efforts of researchers, farmers, extension agencies, industry, academics and governments.
