Transforming Lives in the Sundarbans: ICAR-CIFRI’s Aquaculture Drive Gains Ground.

Sundarbans, West Bengal – Oct, 2025:  In a landmark initiative aimed at sustainable rural development, the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), in collaboration with Kultoli Milan Tirtha Society and the State Bank of India (Kolkata Circle), has launched a transformative aquaculture project in the Indian Sundarbans.

Implemented under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, the project is designed to uplift 100 families through backyard pond culture, offering a model for community-driven livelihood enhancement.

Earlier this year, each participating family received 10 kg of fish seed and 120 kg of feed to initiate fish farming in their homestead ponds. On October 9, the project entered a bolstering phase with the launch of a three-day hands-on training programme. The sessions are focused on financial literacy and equipping beneficiaries with essential aquaculture techniques, ensuring self-reliance, and long-term sustainability.

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. B.K. Das, Director of ICAR-CIFRI, emphasised the importance of savings generated from fish farming as a cornerstone of sustainable development. “If this initiative succeeds in creating one Model Village, it will pave the way for supporting many more families towards a sustainable future”, he said.

Lokman Molla, President, Kultoli Milan Tirtha Society, praised Dr. Das’s visionary leadership and scientific contributions, calling the Model Village Project an “epoch-making initiative” that blends research, community engagement, and financial empowerment.

To ensure scientific precision, the Director and scientists from ICAR-CIFRI personally visited each pond, offering tailored advice and technical support. Their interventions are expected to significantly boost productivity and potentially double household incomes through improved management practices. In addition, 500 seeds of Macrobrachium rosenbergii, a species of freshwater prawn were distributed among each participants of the training program.

Beyond economic benefits, the initiative strengthens food security, ecological resilience, and social cohesion in one of India’s most climate-sensitive regions. As the Sundarbans community embraces aquaculture, the ripple effects of this project may inspire similar models across the country, ushering in a new era of inclusive, science-led development.

The active participation of Dr. Aparna Roy, Senior Scientist, CIFRI and Tanushree Pal, Chief General Manager of SBI, Canning, served as a powerful source of motivation for the attendees of the training programme.

Team Maverick