Sri Vijaya Puram, August 12: The ICAR–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI), Sri Vijaya Puram, has launched two capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening the islands’ fisheries and agriculture sectors. The institute organised a workshop on aquatic animal health and biosecurity while also inviting applications for a specialised training programme on scientific spice cultivation and post-harvest management for farmers, youth and women.
The Division of Fisheries Science at ICAR-CIARI conducted a one-day workshop on “Biosecurity and Quarantine Protocols to Curb Aquatic Animal Diseases in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands” on August 10, 2026. The programme was organised under Phase II of the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD).
The workshop focused on creating awareness and enhancing the capacity of fisheries stakeholders in areas such as aquatic animal health, disease prevention, farm biosecurity, quarantine measures and disease surveillance. It was convened by Muruganandam, Head of the Division of Fisheries Science.
The programme brought together officials and field personnel from the Department of Fisheries, shrimp farmers, aquarium and ornamental fish traders, cage-culture operators and other stakeholders associated with the fisheries sector.
During the workshop, participants received guidance on sourcing healthy aquatic stocks from reliable suppliers, maintaining appropriate quarantine facilities and carrying out health screening before introducing new stocks into existing culture systems. The discussions centred on preventive measures intended to reduce the risk of aquatic animal diseases.
Separately, ICAR-CIARI has announced a three-day training programme on “Scientific Cultivation and Post-Harvest Management of Major Spice Crops of the Bay Islands,” scheduled to be held from August 17 to 19, 2026, at the institute’s Garacharma campus.
The programme is open to interested farmers, youth and women from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Participation has been limited to 25 candidates.
Interested applicants have been asked to submit their name, educational qualification, age and profession to Ajit Arun Waman, Senior Scientist and Course Director, on mobile number 9933263441 on or before August 14, 2026.
The institute said the training programme is being organised with financial support from the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development, Kozhikode, and technical support from the All India Coordinated Research Project on Plantation Crops. The initiative is intended to benefit farmers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands through scientific training in spice cultivation and post-harvest management.
