ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin handed over fish processing related inputs to the Chellanam-Kandakadavu Fishermen Welfare Development Co-operative Society on 18th May 2023 under the project “Food, Gender, Enterprise: Leveraging Interdisciplinarity of sustainable small-scale fisheries” funded by Royal Academy of Engineering, UK in the formal handing over programme. The project’s international partners are University of Southampton (Lead), University of Newcastle, Exeter University and Biomimicry Innovation Lab, UK. 

Chief Guest of the programme, Dr. George Ninan, Director, ICAR-CIFT handed over of the inputs which included trolleys, chill storage facility, foldable SS fish drying racks and weighing balances.  In his address, he observed that need assessment is essential before any technological intervention. Convergence with other programmes and effectively accessing central government schemes like PMMSY was also stressed. ICAR-CIFT could handhold and guide in technological solutions as and when required. Dr. Nikita Gopal, Principal Scientist & Principal Investigator briefed about some of  the co-created coping strategies to meet the challenges that came to fore from the interviews and workshops as part of the project implementation, especially that  women producing dried fish faced. The inputs were zeroed in based on these strategies.

Shri. P.V Wilson, President, Shri. V. T. Antony, Vice President and Smt. Omana Berley, Secretary, Smt. Baby Antony, Member of Chellanam Kandakadavu Fishermen Welfare Development Cooperative Society, Dr.Sandhya K.M., Scientist, Dr. Rejula K Scientist, ICAR-CIFT and project staff Shri. Sreejith S Kumar & Ms. Sharanya Manilal from ICAR-CIFT attended the programme. The inputs will be managed by the Cooperative Society for use by stakeholders in custom hiring mode.