Dr. B. Shanthi, Principal Scientist (Home Science), and team, Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai (India), recently won the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Award for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Team Research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences – 2011-12, for work done under the Department of Bio-Technology funded project on Diversification of Livelihoods among Women Self Help Groups through Coastal Aquaculture Technologies.

This project was implemented at the field level, in Pulicat Village, Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, for 3 years during 2007-2010. Three key technologies, crab fattening as an alternative livelihood in various environments, design, development, fabrication of prototype and installation of mini shrimp feed plant of 200 kg/ day capacity and establishment of fish pickle making unit were introduced. The highlight of this project was the last mile connectivity established through NGO’s working in the district and also ensuring the end to end supply chain of inputs and assured buy back of different output. The project resulted in a 50% increase in the number of days of gainful employment, 28.35% improvement in money income, enhanced awareness of the importance of education, health and hygiene, linkages with bank finance and also resulted in recognition of outstanding work done in the project by stakeholders by important organisations and institutions.

Dr. Shanthi led from the front and the success of the project can be largely attributed to her single handed effort. Hearty congratulations to a dedicated extension scientist!

[Thank you to Dr Mohan Krishnan for this information on “The Fisheries Social Scientists” Facebook page.

Here are two recent outputs from Dr Shanthi and her team:

“Polyculture of Mudcrabs and Asian Seabass by Irular Tribal People in a Community Pond”    Download here

CIBA-e- publications series No. 27 “Opportunities for social mobilization among the irular tribal people using common water bodies for aqua farming” by B. Shanthi, M. Kailasam, V.S.Chandrasekaran, P. Mahalakshimi, C.P.Balasubramanian, K. Ambasankar, Ravichandran and A.G. Ponniah.    Download here [Caution: 7MB file]

Some of our past posts on Dr Shanthi and her team’s work are listed below.

Malaysian workshop upgrades knowledge, develops plans for gender equity in Asian aquaculture  Link

Indian Researchers Help Women Succeed in Sea Bass Culture and Crab Fattening  Link

Irular women in Tamil Nadu succeed in raising fish and their incomes   Link

Diversifying options for women in Indian brackishwater fisheries  Link

New rural technologies and gender  Link

Mrs Usha becomes a community leader through aquaculture  Link

This entry was posted in: Aquaculture, India