The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India Sri.Ram Nath Thakur visited the ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) on 08 January 2026 and reviewed key research and production facilities, including the New Age Shrimp Farming Facility, Finfish Hatchery, Shrimp Hatchery and Feed Mill. Scientists briefed him on the cutting-edge technologies and research initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable, climate-resilient and economically viable brackishwater aquaculture in the country.
Dr. Kuldeep K Lal, director presented an overview of the ICAR-CIBA’s major contributions to the brackishwater aquaculture sector, highlighting the research on brackishwater species reared across a salinity range of 1–35 ppt. The Director emphasized ICAR-CIBA’s focus on species diversification, productivity enhancement, seed quality improvement and development of farmer-friendly technologies to strengthen livelihoods. On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed for the establishment of a crab hatchery in Tamil Nadu with technical support from ICAR-CIBA, marking an important step towards strengthening crab seed production and promoting diversification in coastal aquaculture.
The Hon’ble Minister interacted with the scientists and appreciated their dedicated efforts in advancing brackishwater aquaculture research. He emphasized that the technologies and innovations developed by ICAR-CIBA should reach farmers across all regions of the country, with special focus on poor and marginal farmers in the inland states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. He noted that inclusive dissemination of aquaculture technologies would contribute significantly to rural development, farmer welfare and will play a crucial role in achieving national goals of food security.
