The Northeastern state of Tripura witnessed heavy rainfall resulting in severe flooding and landslides in different districts during 19-22 August 2024. This resulted in significant damages to fisheries in the state (e.g., breach of pond dykes and submerging fish ponds, damage to fish production units & hatcheries, siltation, loss of fish stock & fish seed, structural damage,etc.). The flood reportedly affected around 19874.815 ha water bodies, causing harm to approximately 130,832 fish farmers. Unakoti, Gomati, South, Sepahijala, and West Tripura districts were the worst hit by the flood. During 2022-23, the total fish production of the state was 83000 MT, and annual fish consumption of 27.29 kg per capita, which is 3rd highest in India after Andaman & Nicobar Island (114 kg) and Lakshadweep (89 kg).
The Department of Fisheries (DoF), Government of Tripura is playing a vital role in meeting the protein requirement and the food security of the State’s population. Due to this heavy rainfall resulting in severe flooding and landslides in different districts in the states, many youths have fully lost their livelihood. In response to the request of DoF, Govt. of Tripura, ICAR-CIFRI agreed to support flood-affected fish farmers through the supply of fish culture inputs. With this background, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Barrackpore in collaboration with the DoF, Govt. of Tripuraconducted awareness-cum-inputs distribution programme among the flood-affected fish farmers of Tripura on24.12.2024 in Udaipur, Gomati district of Tripura. The main objective of the programme was to create awareness about the possible adaptation options of fish farmers to cope with natural calamities to avoid possible loss or reduction in fish production for accruing maximum benefits. Dr. B.K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore in his inaugural address stated that ICAR-CIFRI is providing 30 tonnes of CIFRI Cage Grow feed, 12 tonnes of lime, and 4,80,000 nos. fish seed to the flood-affected fish farmers of five districts (Unakoti, West, Sipahijala, Gomati, and South) covering an area of 48.00 ha (625 kgfeed, 250 kg lime and 10000 no. fish seed per ha area). He also advised the fish farmers to continue undertaking scientific fish culture techniques with the diversification of fish species. On this inaugural occasion,a total of 7,650 kg of CIFRI Cage Grow feed, 3,060 kg lime, and 20,000 nos. of fish seed (25 fish farmers) were distributed among 153 nos. flood-affected fish farmers of the Gomati district.
The programme was conducted in the presence of public representatives, Shri Debal Debroy, Hon’ble Sabhadhi pati, Gomati Zilla Parishad, Udaipur; Shri Jitendra Majumder, Hon’ble MLA,33-Kakraban Assembly Constituency, Tripura; and others, Shri S. Das, Director of Fisheries, Govt. Tripura thanked Dr. B. K. Das for providing support to the state’s flood-affected fish farmers and also urged all the farmers to carry out their fish culture activities. An interactive session with fish farmers and DoF officials was led by Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, and Dr. S.C.S. Das, Senior Scientist ICAR-CIFRI, RC, Guwahati. A total of 200 participants including fish farmers, fisheries officials, and the Hon’ble public representatives participated in the programme.
Under the overall guidance of Dr. B.K. Das and Dr. S. K. Majhi, Head, ICAR-CIFRI, RC, Guwahati, the distribution of the remaining inputs (22350 kg of CIFRI Cage Grow feed; 8940kg lime and 4,60,000 nos. fish seed)were executed by Dr. S. C. S. Das to the flood-affected fish farmers of Unakoti, West, Sepahijala, and South Tripura districts with active collaboration of Shri S. Das, Director of Fisheries, Govt. Tripura, Shri. S. Sarkar, DDF (Plan), Shri. B. Basfore, SF (Plan) and other fishery officials of DoF, Govt. of Tripura. A total of 492 nos. of flood-affected fish farmers of 5 districts in 11 sub-divisions, and 37 no. of blocks of Tripura were benefited. District, sub-division, and block-wise no. of flood-affected fish farmers of Tripura benefited from the critical inputs provided by ICAR-CIFRI is depicted in table no.1.
Table. 1. District, sub-division and blockwise no. of flood-affected fish farmers of Tripura benefited by the inputs from ICAR-CIFRI.
| Sl No. | Name of District | Name of sub-division | Name of block | Water area (Ha.) covered | Inputs distributed | Beneficiary covered (no.) | ||
| Lime (kg) | Fish feed (kg) | Fish seed (no.) | ||||||
| 1. | Unakoti | Kailashahar | Gournagar | 1.04 | 260 | 650 | 10400 | 13 |
| 2. | Chandipur | 1.04 | 260 | 650 | 10400 | 13 | ||
| 3. | Kls MC | 0.40 | 100 | 250 | 4000 | 5 | ||
| 4. | Kumarghat | Kumarghat | 2.24 | 560 | 1400 | 22400 | 28 | |
| 5. | Pecharthal | 0.96 | 240 | 600 | 9600 | 12 | ||
| 6 | Kgt MC | 0.24 | 60 | 150 | 2400 | 3 | ||
| Total district (Unakoti) | 5.92 | 1480 | 3700 | 59200 | 74 | |||
| 7. | West Tripura | Jirania | Jirania | 0.80 | 200 | 500 | 8000 | 5 |
| 8. | Mandwi | 0.48 | 120 | 300 | 4800 | 3 | ||
| 9. | Belbari | 0.48 | 120 | 300 | 4800 | 3 | ||
| 10 | Old Agt. | 0.80 | 200 | 500 | 8000 | 5 | ||
| 11. | Jirania NP | 0.16 | 40 | 100 | 1600 | 1 | ||
| 12. | Ranir Bazar MC | 0.16 | 40 | 100 | 1600 | 1 | ||
| 13. | Mohanpur | Mohanpur | 0.48 | 120 | 300 | 4800 | 3 | |
| 14. | Bamutia | 0.96 | 240 | 600 | 9600 | 6 | ||
| 15. | Hezamara | 0.32 | 80 | 200 | 3200 | 2 | ||
| 16. | Lefunga | 0.32 | 80 | 200 | 3200 | 2 | ||
| 17. | MHP MC | 0.32 | 80 | 200 | 3200 | 2 | ||
| 18. | Sadar | Dukli | 0.80 | 200 | 500 | 8000 | 5 | |
| 19 | Agt. MC | 0.48 | 120 | 300 | 4800 | 3 | ||
| Total district(West Tripura) | 6.56 | 1640 | 4100 | 65600 | 41 | |||
| 20. | Sepahijala | Sonamura | Nalchar | 2.61 | 652.5 | 1631.25 | 26100 | 16 |
| 21. | Mohanbhog | 2.24 | 560.00 | 1400.00 | 22400 | 14 | ||
| 22. | Boxanagar | 2.16 | 540.00 | 1350.00 | 21600 | 14 | ||
| 23. | Kathalia | 2.83 | 707.50 | 1768.75 | 28300 | 18 | ||
| 24. | MelagharMC | 0.45 | 112.50 | 281.25 | 4500 | 3 | ||
| 25. | SonamuraNP | 0.11 | 27.50 | 68.75 | 1100 | 1 | ||
| Total district(Sepahijala) | 10.40 | 2600.0 | 6500.0 | 104000 | 66 | |||
| 26. | Gomati | Udaipur | Matabari | 4.24 | 1060 | 2650 | 42400 | 53 |
| 27. | Kakraban | 4.80 | 1200 | 3000 | 48000 | 60 | ||
| 28. | Tepania | 3.20 | 800 | 2000 | 32000 | 40 | ||
| 29. | Amarpur | Amarpur | 3.60 | 900 | 2250 | 36000 | 45 | |
| Total district(Gomati) | 15.84 | 3960 | 9900 | 158400 | 198 | |||
| 30. | South Tripura | Belonia | Rajnagar | 1.0 | 250 | 625 | 10000 | 30 |
| 31. | Hrishyamukh | 1.0 | 250 | 625 | 10000 | |||
| 32. | BC nagar | 0.50 | 125 | 312.50 | 5000 | |||
| 33. | Santirbazar | Jolaibari | 1.0 | 250 | 625 | 10000 | 31 | |
| 34. | Bokafa | 1.50 | 375 | 937.5 | 15000 | |||
| 35. | Sabroom | Satchand | 2.78 | 695 | 1737.5 | 27800 | 52 | |
| 36. | Poangbari | 0.50 | 125 | 312.50 | 5000 | |||
| 37. | Rupaichari | 1.0 | 250 | 625 | 10000 | |||
| Total district (South Tripura) | 9.28 | 2320 | 5800 | 92800 | 113 | |||
| Total (5 district, 11sub-division, 37 block) | 48.0 | 12000 | 30000 | 480000 | 492 | |||
The awareness-cum-inputs distribution programme conducted by ICAR-CIFRI in active collaboration with DoF, Govt. of Tripura will help in capacity building of fish farmers to respond more effectively to reduce risk in the future and improve preparedness for floods in the sector. The fishery input provided for restocking the ponds/tanks enabled the flood-affected fish farmers of Tripura to quickly re-engage in the fish production system, thus encouraging to carry out of fish culture activities. With the support provided by ICAR-CIFRI, it is expected that the flood-affected fish farmers of Tripura will rebuild their sustainable livelihoods and income. (B. K. Das, S.C.S. Das and S. K. Majhi, ICAR-CIFRI).
