Mahila Kisan Divas which coincides with the International Day of Rural Women to recognise the role of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development was celebrated with coastal fisher families and Tribal families by the ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) at Keelarkollai coastal village, Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu on 15.10.2020. About 50 participants from coastal fisher families, mostly fisher women (85%) from Keelarkollai and Karathittu villages, in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu and scientists from ICAR-CIBA, Chennai participated in the programme. Smt. Senthamarai, the Irula tribal woman and her SHG members from Karathittu village shared their experiences on adoption of pearl spot fish larval rearing technology as a profitable livelihood option for them and how it helped them during the COVID-19 lock down period. Further, women aqua farmers from Keelarkollai village shared their experiences of CIBA facilitated farming of Asian Seabass and Milkfish farming in coastal brackishwaters which fulfilled their dream of self-reliance. Dr.K.K.Vijayan, Director ICAR-CIBA conveyed his Mahila Kisan Divas message to the participating women and emphasized that CIBA has been working with the coastal womenfolk and fine-tuned CIBA’s technologies like nursery rearing of fishes, ornamental fish farming, mud crab fattening exclusively for the women farmers. During the occasion an interactive session was held on CIBA technologies for empowering coastal women and enhancing the livelihood security of coastal fisher families. Success stories of CIBA’s livelihood technology interventions undertaken as part of the “Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav” programme and Tribal Sub Plan on nursery rearing of Asian Seabass (Lates calcarifer), Pearl spot (Etroplus suratensis) farming, ornamental fish culture and crab farming were shared during the session. Dr.D.Deboral Vimala and Dr.P.Mahalakhsmi, Principal Scientists, Social Sciences Division of CIBA coordinated the event.
