Lumami, July 31, 2026: In a significant step towards strengthening sustainable fisheries development in Nagaland, the Department of Zoology, Nagaland University, in collaboration with the ICAR–National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR–NBFGR), Lucknow, flagged off a Fisheries Input Distribution Vehicle on Thursday under the Awareness-cum-Capacity Building Programme and Workshop on Sustainable Aquaculture Practices.
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| Nagaland University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik flags off the Fisheries Input Distribution Vehicle at Lumami on Thursday under the Sustainable Aquaculture Programme, implemented in collaboration with ICAR–NBFGR, Lucknow. (Image: facebook.com/nagalanduniversity) |
The initiative is being implemented under the North Eastern Hill (NEH) Component of the CRP Agrobiodiversity Project with the objective of promoting scientific aquaculture practices, improving fish production, and enhancing the livelihoods of fish farmers through capacity building and the distribution of essential fisheries inputs.
According to the organisers, the programme is designed to equip fish farmers with modern aquaculture techniques while providing them with quality inputs required to improve productivity and ensure sustainable fish farming practices. The fisheries inputs distributed under the programme have been sponsored by the ICAR–NBFGR CRP Agrobiodiversity Project.
The project specifically targets 30 fish farmers from Japu Village in Mangkolemba, who will participate in awareness and capacity-building activities under the NEH component. The project is led by Dr. Aditya Kumar, Scientist and Principal Investigator of the CRP Agrobiodiversity Project at ICAR–NBFGR, Lucknow, and is being implemented with the approval of Dr. Kajal Chakraborty, Director of the ICAR–National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources.
The programme includes technical lectures, practical demonstrations, stakeholder interactions, and the distribution of fisheries inputs to selected beneficiaries. The organisers said these activities are intended to help fish farmers adopt scientific fish farming methods, improve pond management, and increase overall productivity.
The Fisheries Input Distribution Vehicle was formally flagged off by Nagaland University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik, who emphasized the importance of integrating research, technology, and extension services to promote sustainable aquaculture in the region. He said such initiatives would help bridge the gap between scientific research and farming practices while creating better livelihood opportunities for rural communities.
The vehicle is carrying a wide range of fisheries inputs that will be distributed to the beneficiary farmers. These include nutritionally balanced grower and finisher fish feed, agricultural-grade liming material, HDPE pipes, fish pond protection nets, fish harvesting seine nets, insulated thermocol ice boxes, weighing scales, and essential aquaculture tools such as shovels and spades.
According to the organisers, these materials will assist farmers in improving pond preparation, maintaining better water quality, protecting fish stocks, enhancing harvesting efficiency, strengthening post-harvest handling, and ultimately increasing fish production and farm income.
As part of the programme schedule, the farmers' interaction session and fisheries input distribution will be held on July 31 at Japu Village, Mangkolemba. This will be followed by a Workshop and Technical Sessions on Sustainable Aquaculture Practices on August 1 at the Conference Hall of the Department of Zoology, Nagaland University, Lumami. Experts from ICAR–NBFGR and Nagaland University are expected to share knowledge on scientific aquaculture, fish health management, sustainable production systems, and best management practices.
The flag-off ceremony was attended by several senior officials and faculty members of Nagaland University, including Prof. Joy Das, Finance Officer (i/c); Mr. Vekhoyi Tetseo, Registrar (i/c); Prof. Bendang Ao, Director of the Research & Development Cell; Dr. Temjen, Deputy Librarian; Mr. Kahoshe Sumi, Deputy Registrar (General Administration); Mr. Abhijit Sutradhar, Deputy Registrar (Academics and Conference), EC Cell (i/c) and Legal Cell (i/c); Dr. Ashish Kumar, Hindi Officer; Dr. Kevezai Tureng, Director of the College Development Council; Prof. Ashutosh Tripathi; and Prof. Ranjit Kumar, Head of the Department of Zoology. Faculty members, M.Sc. students, and Assistant Professors Dr. Pukhrambam Rajesh Singh, Dr. Lobeno Mozhui, and Dr. Ramita Sougrakpam also participated in the event.
The programme was coordinated by Dr. Pranay Punj Pankaj, Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology, who served as the Organising Secretary.
Nagaland University stated that the collaborative initiative with ICAR–NBFGR reflects a shared commitment to promoting sustainable fisheries development through research, technology dissemination, extension activities, and community participation. By combining scientific innovations with indigenous knowledge and providing quality fisheries inputs to farmers, the programme is expected to strengthen rural livelihoods, improve food security, and contribute significantly to the long-term development of aquaculture in Nagaland and the wider Northeast region.
