About

Since its inception, ICAR-CIFT, Cochin is concentrating its activities in entire NEH region through need based technological interventions in harvest and post-harvest fisheries and established its presence in all eight states of NEH region. Technology dissemination has made successfully through awareness programmes, trainings, demonstrations and input distributions for sustaining the technological practices.  And most of the technologies have been well appreciated by the tribal fisher population of the region and well accepted by the concerned state department of NEH region for upscaling.

Majority of the population in North East India are avid fish eaters.  Though, there is heavy demand of fish, a wide gap exists between supply and demand.  Fish production of the region is restricted to only 4.7 lakh tones (2017-18), which accounts for a meagre share of around 5.27 per cent of the total inland fish production of the country. Hence, a sizable proportion of the fish consumed in north eastern states is imported from other states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal as fresh or dried fish. On the contrary North eastern states have abundant water resources which can be effectively utilized to meet the demand for fish in the region. With plenty of water bodies (reservoirs, tanks, ponds, lakes other derelict water bodies), covering an area of 5.63 lakh ha, NEH region has immense potential for fisheries.  Strengthening the fishery sector in NEH region requires augmenting the fish production with the use of appropriate harvest technologies and practices especially in reservoirs, lakes and rivers to have responsible harvesting of the fish and to reduce harvest loss. Similarly, it is important to promote and train small scale fishers about the improved processing techniques to reduce the post-harvest loss and to develop diversified fish-based products for nutritional enrichment also to provide the opportunities for entrepreneurship development in fisheries.

Extned of spread of technologies

The ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin has been giving thrust to development of inland fisheries in NEH region by envisaging different programmes like

• Survey on technological needs and constraints faced by the fishers during harvest and post-harvesting operation in fisheries.
• Developing awareness on improved fishing in lakes and rivers, processing of inland fishes for better income generation and nutritional benefits of fish against malnutrition.
• Demonstration of suitable fishing techniques for efficient fish harvest from rivers and lakes in NEH region.
• Demonstration of appropriate post-harvest technologies in inland fisheries for employment generation and increase in income.
• Capacity building programme for imparting skill based hands-on experience on improved techniques of fishing, value added fish product development, fish waste management, fish drying, smoking including fish nutrition.
• Providing input support to stakeholders through distribution of appropriate technological inputs for better technological adoption. 
• Transfer of need based suitable technologies to different stakeholders by signing MOU for large scale adoption of technologies.

In this process, ICAR-CIFT, Cochin has brought substantial transformation in the harvest and post-harvest sector of fisheries in north east region with appropriate technological intervention in collaboration with various agencies like ICAR Research organisations, State Department of Fisheries, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Krishi Vigyan Kendras, NGOs and Self Help Groups. The strong linkage established with some public institutions helped in successful facilitation of technology diffusion at grass root level. Details of the linkages established by ICAR-CIFT during last one decade for popularising its technologies are given below.

Technologies disseminated 

ICAR-CIFT has conducted large number of training and demonstration programmes on some promising technologies in the domain of harvest and post-harvest fisheries, which are as follows:

• Improved gear materials for efficient fishing
• Improved craft for better fishing
• Fabrication of FRP coated rubber wood canoe
• Fabrication of CIFT FRP Canoes for traditional fishing 
• Responsible fishing and its utility
• Production of value added fish products 
• Hygienic fish handling  
• Preparation of feed from fish waste 
• Scientific techniques of fish drying
• Smoke curing of fish through CIFT designed COFISKIN
• Fe and Ca enriched fish soup powder

These technologies have been effectively disseminated to fishers, potential entrepreneurs, self-help groups and other stakeholders by conducting various out-reach programmes across eight states of NEH region. Over the years, number of technological inputs in the realm of harvest and post-harvest fisheries sector has been handed over to the beneficiaries. Details of technologies demonstration and training along with number of beneficiaries during last one decade is given below

Linkages established :     Year Wise Programme Details:   Photographs of Programmes: