On October 3rd, 2024, a group of 30 newly inducted officials from the Department of Fisheries, Kerala, visited the fields of ICAR-KVK Ernakulam’s partner farmers as part of their training. This field visit was conducted under the Staff Training Program organized by the National Institute of Fisheries Administration and Management (NIFFAM).

Earlier, on September 26th, 2024, these officials attended a specialized training session on brackishwater aquaculture and cage fish farming led by Dr. P.A. Vikas, Subject Matter Specialist (Fisheries) of KVK Ernakulam. To complement this theoretical knowledge, the hands-on training visit was arranged to KVK’s partner sites, including a brackishwater cage fish farm at Kottappuram and a pearlspot seed production unit at Karumaloor.

During the visit, the participants had an opportunity to interact with partner farmers Mr. Shibu Kottappuram and Mr. Shibu T.S., who shared their experiences and best practices in the field. This exposure visit provided the trainee officials valuable insights into the practical aspects of brackishwater aquaculture and the various technologies being adopted by progressive farmers in the region.