A group of women at Thiruthoor, near Puthenvelikkara, has harvested a bumper crop of pearlspots (karimeen) on the eve of Vishu under an empowerment programme initiated by Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies.
The programme “women empowerment through fish farming” was launched about six-and-a-half months ago and on harvest on Tuesday, the yield was around 250 kgs of pearlspots. A communication from the University said that the women earned approximately Rs. 1.25 lakh through the initiative, which involved cage culture of the popular variety of fish.
The programme for women empowerment has been undertaken under the ‘Samagra Matsyagramam’ project of the Department of Fisheries.
The women entrepreneurs combined into a self-group group, which was given cages, fishlings and feed. They were also given training in pisciculture. The women entrepreneurs were able to earn more for their fish catch as they avoided middlemen.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University B. Madhusoodana Kurupinaugurated the fish harvest.
The Kufos team of scientists involved in the programme, which has support from the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, was led by principal investigator Daisy C. Kappen. The department of fisheries and Puthenvelikkara panchayat too are supporting the programme.
