NEW DELHI : A group of 10 Aquaculturists and Assistant Aquaculturists from National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) successfully completed a comprehensive capacity-building programme in India, demonstrating a shared commitment to sustainable fisheries and regional developmental partnership. NAQDA functions under the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Government of Sri Lanka.
- The two-week training was held at ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture in Odisha, India, from 06 to 19 July 2026. This initiative marks the second such programme conducted for NAQDA professionals, following the inaugural session in February 2026.
- The programme offered the participants with exposure to contemporary freshwater aquaculture practices through a combination of academic lectures, laboratory demonstrations, and field visits to farm facilities to observe innovative technologies and best practices in the sector.
- The programme focused on technical skills such as fish farm planning and pond construction, carp broodstock management, induced breeding, nursery pond management, fish nutrition and health management, antimicrobial resistance, Biofloc and Recirculatory aquaculture systems-based fish farming, tilapia seed production, freshwater prawn and pearl farming, and the application of ICT and GIS technologies in aquaculture.
- The programme was organized under the enhanced capacity building framework announced by Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi during his State Visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, whereby 700 customized slots annually for Sri Lankan professionals were added over and above all existing schemes. With 300 Sri Lanka civil service officers being training annually under a MoU between the National Centre for Good Governance of India and the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration, the enhanced capacity-building endeavour of India thus now benefits 1000 Sri Lankans annually.
