KVK-Khordha, ICAR-CIFA Celebrates International Fisher Women’s Day

5 November 2025, Bhubaneswar

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Khordha, under the aegis of ICAR–Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar in collaboration with ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata celebrated International Fisher Women’s Day (IFWD) today at Dhanahara village, Balipatna block, Khordha district. The event was held with the inspiring theme ‘Every Wave Carries Her Labour, Every Shore Her Claim.’

The programme was virtually inaugurated by Dr. Pradip Dey, Director, ICAR–ATARI, Kolkata, as Chief Guest. In his address, he urged the fisher women to contribute towards producing healthy fish for the nation and emphasized their crucial role in aquaculture. He also highlighted the crucial role of fish in combating malnutrition and enhancing livelihood diversification for supplementary income generation. He also lauded the efforts of KVK-Khordha for its continuous support to the fish farming community in the district.

The event featured an expert session highlighting various scientific fish culture technologies that can be effectively adopted in village ponds to enhance productivity and promote sustainable aquaculture practices. The speaker also appreciated the efforts of the KVK in empowering fisherwomen through continuous capacity-building programmes and field-level demonstrations.

In the welcome and opening remarks, the Senior Scientist and Head of KVK–Khordha emphasized the pivotal role of fisherwomen in ensuring sustainable aquaculture and strengthening rural economies. It was noted that recognizing and empowering women in the fisheries sector is vital for inclusive growth, food and nutritional security, and the long-term resilience of aquaculture-based livelihoods.

A training session on ‘Community Fish Culture’ was also conducted for Scheduled Caste (SC) farm women, focusing on scientific and group-based aquaculture practices aimed at improving livelihood opportunities and enhancing participation of women in fisheries development.

Around 150 fisher women from various Self-Help Groups (SHGs) actively participated in the celebration. Floating fish feed and Fish drag net is distributed to the fisherwomen for promoting fish culture in community pond.

(Source: ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar)