Impact of Self-Help Groups in gender mainstreaming: A case study on clam processing units in Pookaitha village, Kottayam, Kerala

A study for assessing the impact of SHGs in gender mainstreaming was undertaken on the clam processing units operating at Pookaitha located at Kottayam District of Kerala. The analysis included specific aspects such as performance assessment of the SHGs, gender analysis, empowerment analysis and economic feasibility analysis which were carried out based on socio-economic surveys and personal interviews using pre-tested and structured data gathering protocols with standardized scales and indices involving the members of the SHGs. The male and female counterparts of the families were separately interviewed to assess the gender mainstreaming aspects in terms of equity and equality to access to resources, participation profile, decision making aspects, gender need analysis etc. Though majority of activities are female dominated, the male counterparts of the households also have definite role in decision making, purchase of accessories, sales, marketing etc. The indicative economics worked out for the economic feasibility analysis of the SHGs suggests that, the unit takes two years to break even. A success case study was elucidated and documented as a documentary which can be used as a case model for promoting group action for mobilizing SHGs on a sustainable basis

Compensatory growth and production economics of Silver pompano, Trachinotus blochii (Lacepede, 1801), fingerlings stunted by feed and space deprivation

The effect of stunting by feed and space deprivation on compensatory growth (CG) in Silver pompano, Trachinotus blochii, was investigated. A commercial pellet feed (45% protein and 10% fat) was fed two times a day, throughout the entire experiment. The 270-day experiment consisted of an initial 60-day stunting phase and a 60-day post-stunting phase carried out in 4 × 2 × 2 m3 galvanized iron (GI) rectangular cages, and a 150-day grow-out phase carried out in 3-m diameter circular GI cages. During the stunting phase, the normal fish (in triplicates) were stocked at lower stocking density (17 fish/m3) and fed at 10% of body weight (BW), while stunted fish (one replication) were stocked at about three times higher stocking density (56 fish/m3) and fed at a three times lower feeding rate (3% of BW). The stunted and normal fish were reared in triplicates during the post-stunting phase, at uniform stocking density (15 fish/m3) with feeding at a higher rate (10% of BW) for stunted fish and normal feeding rate (8% of BW) was adopted for normal fish. During the grow-out stage, each replication from the post-stunting phase was shifted to 3-m circular cages with the same feeding rates. The lag in growth in stunted fish (5.56 g against 9.43 ± 0.13 g of normal) during the stunting phase was compensated during the post-stunting phase (36.88 ± 2.23 g against 38.13 ± 1.48 g of normal) by higher feeding rate. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in final harvest, biometry, morphometry, dressing yield, carcass nutritional composition, and serum biochemical markers at the end of grow-out stage. Because of the significant difference (p < 0.05) in the total feed provided (5.2 kg for stunted fish against 22.8 kg for normal fish) and the lesser unit cost for the production of stunted fingerling (USD 0.087 for stunted fish against USD 0.106 for normal), the farming of stunted fish brought about a higher net operational revenue and benefit:cost ratio

CMFRI Marine Fisheries Policy Series No.18; Streamlining the Supply Chain of Marine Fish in Kerala: COVID-19 and Beyond

Streamlining the Supply Chain of Marine Fish in Kerala: COVID-19 and Beyon

XVI Agricultural Science Congress 2023: Transformation of Agri-Food Systems for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

The XVI Agricultural Science Congress being jointly organized by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) during 10-13 October 2023, at hotel Le Meridien, Kochi, is a mega event echoing the theme “Transformation of Agri-Food Systems for achieving Sustainable Development Goals”. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute takes great pride in hosting the XVI ASC, which will be the perfect point of convergence of academicians, researchers, students, farmers, fishers, traders, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders involved in agri-production systems that ensure food and nutritional security for a burgeoning population. With impeding challenges like growing urbanization, increasing unemployment, growing population, increasing food demands, degradation of natural resources through human interference, climate change impacts and natural calamities, the challenges ahead for India to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations are many. The XVI ASC will provide an interface for dissemination of useful information across all sectors of stakeholders invested in developing India’s agri-food systems, not only to meet the SDGs, but also to ensure a stable structure on par with agri-food systems around the world. It is an honour to present this Book of Abstracts which is a compilation of a total of 668 abstracts that convey the results of R&D programs being done in India. The abstracts have been categorized under 10 major Themes – 1. Ensuring Food & Nutritional Security: Production, Consumption and Value addition; 2. Climate Action for Sustainable Agri-Food Systems; 3. Frontier Science and emerging Genetic Technologies: Genome, Breeding, Gene Editing; 4. Livestock-based Transformation of Food Systems; 5. Horticulture-based Transformation of Food Systems; 6. Aquaculture & Fisheries-based Transformation of Food Systems; 7. Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable AgriFood Systems; 8. Next Generation Technologies: Digital Agriculture, Precision Farming and AI-based Systems; 9. Policies and Institutions for Transforming Agri-Food Systems; 10. International Partnership for Research, Education and Development. This Book of Abstracts sets the stage for the mega event itself, which will see a flow of knowledge emanating from a zeal to transform and push India’s Agri-Food Systems to perform par excellence and achieve not only the SDGs of the UN but also to rise as a world leader in the sector. I thank and congratulate all the participants who have submitted abstracts for this mega event, and I also applaud the team that has strived hard to publish this Book of Abstracts ahead of the event. I wish all the delegates and participants a very vibrant and memorable time at the XVI ASC

Analytical validation of a modified turbidimetric assay to screen sulphur oxidizing bacteria

Conventional turbidimetric assay for sulphate determination was modified to 100 times lesser reaction volume on a convenient format using microtitre plate based platform, targeting routine microbiological applications to screen sulphur oxidizing bacteria (SOB) cultures. The modified assay was linear up to 1500 mg/L of sulphate concentration, which is about 37.5 times more than that of conventional assay. Upon regression analysis, linear equation y = 1.243× + 0.011 was obtained having R2 value of 0.998. The modified assay was fully validated in terms of precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), sensitivity, selectivity and robustness to assure the reliability during final applications. LOD and LOQ were found as 7.4 mg/L and 24.8 mg/L of sulphate concentration respectively. Further, accuracy of the assay over routine SOB screening media components was tested, and proved as reliable and suitable for the intended application

Outlining Metabolic Versatility of a Commercial Waste Composting Consortium in Fish Waste Management

Effective and sustainable management of fish waste produced in markets and processing industries, is a major challenge faced by the coastal communities. Composting is an environment friendly method for fish waste disposal, and for the production of organic fertilizers. However, quality of compost depends on the use of proficient microbial consortia to mediate the bioconversion processes. Accordingly, as a first step in developing a competent fish waste composting strategy, suitability of a commercial organic waste composting consortium was assessed. For this, various selective media were used for outlining the metabolic activities required for waste degradation such as production of hydrolytic enzymes viz., chitinase, lipase and protease (both in standard media and fish waste component embedded media), ammonia oxidization, organic and inorganic phosphate solubilisation, nitrite oxidization and sulphur oxidization. There were potential producers for all organic waste degrading enzymes with highest enzymatic index (EI) as 1.8, 2.9 and 1.5 for protease, lipase and chitinase respectively. Among these, 10 microbial consortia were able to degrade fish waste components with the highest EI as 1, 2.4 and 0.2 for protein, chitin and oil respectively; indicating that efficacy of fish oil degraders in the evaluated consortia was very less. Four isolates were found efficient for denitrification. Highest organic and inorganic phosphate solubilisation efficiency was 1.9 and 7 respectively. Despite the presence of some AOB (ammonia oxidizing bacteria), NOB (nitrite oxidizing bacteria) and SOB (sulphur oxidizing bacteria), their efficacy was less. Potential isolates were characterized as Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus, Halotalea sp, Bacillus oryzaecorticis, Cronobacter condiment and Bacillus megaterium. As fish waste is rich in nitrogen and sulphur, inclusion of efficient AOB, NOB and SOB can improve the quality of final compost. Similarly, exclusion of denitrifiers can avoid the loss of nitrogen during composting. Consequently, while there were efficient organic matter degrading enzyme producers including fish protein and chitin, absence of efficient AOB, NOB, fish oil degraders and presence of denitrifiers recommends an improvisation of the evaluated consortium before application in fish waste composting

Not Available

Not AvailableEffective and sustainable management of fish waste produced in markets and processing industries, is a major challenge faced by the coastal communities. Composting is an environment friendly method for fish waste disposal, and for the production of organic fertilizers. However, quality of compost depends on the use of proficient microbial consortia to mediate the bioconversion processes. Accordingly, as a first step in developing a competent fish waste composting strategy, suitability of a commercial organic waste composting consortium was assessed. For this, various selective media were used for outlining the metabolic activities required for waste degradation such as production of hydrolytic enzymes viz., chitinase, lipase and protease (both in standard media and fish waste component embedded media), ammonia oxidization, organic and inorganic phosphate solubilisation, nitrite oxidization and sulphur oxidization. There were potential producers for all organic waste degrading enzymes with highest enzymatic index (EI) as 1.8, 2.9 and 1.5 for protease, lipase and chitinase respectively. Among these, 10 microbial consortia were able to degrade fish waste components with the highest EI as 1, 2.4 and 0.2 for protein, chitin and oil respectively; indicating that efficacy of fish oil degraders in the evaluated consortia was very less. Four isolates were found efficient for denitrification. Highest organic and inorganic phosphate solubilisation efficiency was 1.9 and 7 respectively. Despite the presence of some AOB (ammonia oxidizing bacteria), NOB (nitrite oxidizing bacteria) and SOB (sulphur oxidizing bacteria), their efficacy was less. Potential isolates were characterized as Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus, Halotalea sp, Bacillus oryzaecorticis, Cronobacter condiment and Bacillus megaterium. As fish waste is rich in nitrogen and sulphur, inclusion of efficient AOB, NOB and SOB can improve the quality of final compost. Similarly, exclusion of denitrifiers can avoid the loss of nitrogen during composting. Consequently, while there were efficient organic matter degrading enzyme producers including fish protein and chitin, absence of efficient AOB, NOB, fish oil degraders and presence of denitrifiers recommends an improvisation of the evaluated consortium before application in fish waste composting.Not Availabl

ICAR CMFRI (ICAR Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute)

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is headquartered at Kochi, Kerala, India. It is one of the leading tropical marine fisheries research institutes in the world, established on 03rd February 1947. The institute has completed 75 years of service to the nation in 2022. Over the past seven decades, ICAR-CMFRI has played a pivotal role in India’s marine fisheries development through significant contributions in research, extension and education. With state-of-the-art research infrastructure and other auxiliary amenities, ICAR-CMFRI focuses on marine fisheries resource management, mariculture, marine biotechnology and bioprospecting, marine biodiversity, marine environment and pollution, climate change, socio-economic investigations, and policies. Research efforts in the open sea and coastal mariculture have resulted in technically sound and viable hatchery and farm technologies for marine finfishes, shrimps, edible oysters, mussels, clams, seaweeds, and marine pearls. The institute maintains the National Marine Living Resources Data Centre (NMLRDC) with over nine million catch and effort data records of more than 1200 fished species from all maritime states of India. ICAR-CMFRI is being counted as one of the premier research organizations in the country, and its contribution to marine stewardship is well respected in academic and policy circles and in the fishing community. The institute strives continually towards academic and scientific excellence and is dedicated to the nation’s service ever onward