1-Week Training Programme for promotion of start-ups/ entrepreneurship on the theme “Fish Breeding and Rearing” from 10th to 16th March 2026.

University of Kashmir concludes week-long training on “Fish Breeding and Rearing”

Srinagar, March 16, 2026: The Department of Zoology, University of Kashmir, today organised the valedictory session of its one-week training (Skill Development/Entrepreneurship) programme on “Fish Breeding and Rearing,” aimed at promoting start-up culture and entrepreneurship in aquaculture among youth and aspiring fish farmers.

The training programme, held from March 10–16, 2026, brought together 40 participants from diverse educational and professional backgrounds and combined classroom lectures, hands-on practical demonstrations, and exposure visits to operational fish farms. The valedictory function was held at the Departmental Library at 2:00 PM, with a structured programme including formal proceedings, report presentation, addresses by senior faculty, certificate distribution and a vote of thanks.

In his welcome address and presentation of the programme report, Prof. Imtiaz Ahmed Khan highlighted that the week-long training focused on core areas such as fish feed formulation using locally available and less expensive ingredients, pond construction and management, breeding techniques, various culture systems (extensive, semi-intensive, intensive, cage culture, and RAS), trout farming technologies, water quality management, disease control, and government subsidy schemes including Blue Revolution and FIDF. He underlined that the initiative was designed to build practical capacity and confidence among participants to take up fish farming as a viable entrepreneurial venture.

Resource persons from the Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-Kashmir, the Department of Fisheries, J&K Government, and the Department of Zoology delivered thematic lectures through the week. Key sessions covered topics such as “Use of Local Less Expensive Feed Ingredients in Fish Feed,” “Fish Culture: A Great Entrepreneurship Venture,” “Aquaculture Engineering Interventions in Fish Production and Employment Generation,” “Feed-Efficient Farming: A Circular Approach to Small-Scale Pond Management,” “Trout Farming in Jammu and Kashmir,” “Different Rearing Methods for Successful Rearing,” “Management of Fish Ponds,” and “Different Schemes for Development of Fish Farming in J&K.”​

Two field visits—to Manasbal Fish Farm and Kokernag Fish Farm—provided participants hands-on exposure to commercial trout culture, raceway systems, hatchery management, broodstock maintenance, and breeding protocols. Participants interacted directly with technical staff and farm managers, enabling them to link theoretical inputs with on-ground practices in cold-water aquaculture.​

Addressing the valedictory session, senior faculty members including Prof. Abdul Hamid Wani and Prof. M. Sultan Bhat appreciated the Department of Zoology for conceptualising and executing a programme that directly responds to regional needs and livelihood opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir. They stressed that aquaculture, particularly trout farming, holds significant potential for employment generation in the Union Territory and encouraged participants to convert the acquired knowledge into concrete entrepreneurial initiatives.

In his presidential remarks, Prof. Shariefuddin Pirzada lauded the efforts of the organising team and resource persons, observing that such capacity-building programmes align with the University’s broader mandate of promoting skill development and self-employment among youth. He urged participants to act as ambassadors of sustainable aquaculture practices in their respective communities and assured institutional support for similar training and extension activities in future.

During the session, certificates were distributed among all 40 participants in recognition of their successful completion of the training. Many participants shared that the programme had enhanced their technical understanding of fish breeding and rearing, familiarised them with government support mechanisms, and helped them build networks with academic experts, government officials, and practicing fish farmers.

The overall outcomes of the programme included knowledge enhancement in fish breeding, feed formulation and pond management; entrepreneurship development through detailed orientation on schemes and financial support; practical skill development in trout culture and farm management; networking among stakeholders; and enhanced awareness about the aquaculture potential of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in cold-water fisheries.​

Proposing the vote of thanks, Dr. Yahya Bakhtiyar expressed gratitude to the University administration, including the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor and senior functionaries, for their continued support; to the Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, and the Department of Fisheries, J&K Government, for their collaboration; and to all resource persons and support staff for their dedicated contribution to the success of the programme. He also thanked the participants for their active involvement throughout the week and expressed hope that many of them would soon emerge as successful aquaculture entrepreneurs. The formal Proceedings of the valedictory function was conducted by Ms. Shagufta Ishtiaq, Research scholar of the department.