101st FOCARS - ARS Scientist Attend FET Prog.

A team comprising of six ARS Scientist probationers belonging to 101^st FOCARS from ICAR-NAARM, Hyderabad was attached to ICAR-CIFT, Cochin for their Field Experience Training from 19^th February 2015 to 11^th March 2015. Perumbalam Island was selected for conducting field survey and application of PRA tools.

The team visited the Perumbalam Grama Panchayat, Krishi Bhavan,Veterinary Hospital, Co-operative Society, Prawn peeling units, Coir society etc. in the island. They also interacted with key informants and progressive farmers. A visit was organized to a fish processing factory-Moon Fisheries, Aroor, and ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin as a part of their training. The team also underwentonboard training on the Institute fishing vessel- Sagar Shakthi. A village seminar was conducted on 6^th March 2015, at the Krishi Bhavan, Perumbalam under the guidance and supervision of FET Coordinator Dr. Nikita Gopal, Principal Scientist, ICAR-CIFT and Monitoring Faculty Dr. Ganesh Kumar, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NAARM, Hyderabad. About 38 farmers and fishers attended the seminar. Smt. V.P.Sherly,Gram Panchayat President and Smt. Latha, Agricultural Officerwere also present. The training programme concluded with an institute seminar organized at ICAR-CIFT, Cochin on 7^th March, 2015 which was presided over by Dr. C. N. Ravishankar, Director, ICAR-CIFT.