Bhubaneswar-based CIFA to lead multi-country effort to improve livelihood of aquaculture farmers

Indian Council for Agricultural Research-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar, has been chosen to spearhead a multi-country effort to transform the lives of 1.2 lakh rural households, 30% of which comprise women, across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The SAARC Development Fund (SDF), in partnership with leading national institutions and technical government agencies of the five SAARC member countries recently launched an initiative titled ‘Livelihood Enhancement of Small-Scale Fish Farmers and Nutrition Security of Rural Masses in the SAARC Region through Aquaculture Development (AquaLivelihood)’ in Colombo.

According to CIFA, the three-year initiative represents a total investment of $3.97 million, including a $3.23 million grant from SDF and $739,109 in in-kind co-financing.

“The project will directly benefit over 120,000 rural households, 30% of whom are women, across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka,” said Shiba Shankar Giri, scientist of ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneswar, who is leading the Aqua-livelihood project as the project coordinator.

Under the initiative, strengthening the livelihoods of small-scale aquaculture farmers and addressing malnutrition through sustainable fish production systems would be given priority.