The ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA), Chennai, in collaboration with Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, organized a workshop and exposure visit on “Recycling of Fish Waste to Value-Added Products, CIBA-PlanktonPlus and CIBA-HortiPlus” from 1st to 2nd August 2024. The event, held at Olaikuda village in Rameswaram taluk, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, aimed to empower and uplift coastal communities.
The program was part of a Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, New Delhi-funded project titled “Establishment of DBT Rural Bio-resource Complex at Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu.” Approximately 60 participants, including farmers, panchayat leaders, Self-Help Group members, students, RSFFPO members, and ICAR-CIBA scientists, attended the event. CIBA-PlanktonPlus and CIBA-HortiPlus products were distributed to the attendees.
CIBA scientists provided insights into fish waste processing, preparation of value-added products, and their applications in agriculture and aquaculture. Dr. Kuldeep K Lal, Director of ICAR-CIBA, emphasized the potential of these technologies to enhance food production in the country. Dr. P. Mahalakshmi, Principal Scientist at CIBA and Principal Investigator of the project, highlighted how the technology has enabled resource-poor fisher groups to establish a registered company producing over 15 tonnes of products annually. Dr. K P Sandeep, Scientist at CIBA and Co-Principal Investigator, elaborated on the processing steps and discussed the challenges and opportunities in marketing these value-added products.
Shri T. Kennit Raj, a fish farmer and proprietor of V.S. Fish Waste Hydrolysate in Kasimedu, shared his experience establishing a fish waste processing unit with CIBA’s support. He expressed satisfaction with the upliftment of their socio-economic status and the provision of alternative livelihoods for coastal communities. Mr. S. Tamil Selvaraja, CEO of Rameswaram Segaram Fish Farmers Producer Organisation (RSFFPO), also expressed gratitude to CIBA for empowering coastal communities through fish waste recycling technology.
The workshop was coordinated by Dr. P. Mahalakshmi and Dr. K. P. Sandeep, who addressed all participant queries.
Source: ICAR-CIBA
