The District Aquafest 2022 was held at Rangjokram Lake in Resubelpara, North Garo Hills, today with the aim of enhancing the fish farm industry in the state.
The sale and purchase of varieties of fish, interaction of farmers with different line departments, demonstration of new fish farming systems and departmental exhibition were the activities lined up for the day.
Organised by the district Fisheries Department, the programme was aimed at enhancing fish production, generating awareness on schemes, sanctuary, Kisan Credit Card, Mini Mission IV under Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission (MSAM) 2.0.
Speaking as the chief guest during the event, Ripamchi N Sangma, Additional Deputy Commissioner, said fisheries is one source of livelihood that has huge potential to contribute directly as food and as a source of income; however many areas under it remained unexplored.
North Garo Hills is an ideal region for fish farming where much land has been left uncultivated, Sangma added and implored the farmers to utilise this deserted land by converting them into fish ponds with the assistance of the Fisheries Department.
She also urged the farmers to try fish farming as a form of mixed agriculture whereby farming of paddy, livestock and other agri-allied activities could be taken simultaneously as a scope for increasing incomes.
According to her, integration of mixed farming and convergence of departmental schemes towards boosting fish production would bridge the demand-supply gap of fish requirement in the region.
Referring to the success of fish sanctuary projects in East Garo Hills, Sangma said available water resources should be preserved for the conservation of indigenous fish, which in turn would facilitate fish breeding and thereby act as ecotourism for employment generation.
