a. Poverty Reduction by Increasing the Competitiveness of Enterprises (PRICE) Project:

 

PRICE (Poverty Reduction by Increasing the Competitiveness of Enterprises) is a USAID-funded project with the goal of reducing poverty by promoting the development of the aquaculture, horticulture and leader products sectors in Bangladesh. PRICE works with economic actors in the value chain to improve skills expand access to information, link farmers and enterprises to markets and expand access to finance. PRICE activities are market-driven and seek to share the benefits of growth with women, young adults, farmers and SMEs. Through its interventions, PRICE also helps value chain actors understand the benefits of working together to increase competitiveness and through cost-sharing arrangements that reduce risk, helps SMEs associations improve their processes and products so they have access to more and better markets, both domestic and international.

 

CISD and PRICE agreed to establish a wide range of cooperation during PRICE’s project tenure and initially, under MOU, trained 1000 women led farmers. Based on success of previous cooperation currently CISD aquaculture members are engaged in improved farming of mixed species of indigenous and exotic carps and tilapia mostly in household ponds transformed low input and low production methods to relatively high production base. CISD wants to expand its aquaculture activities in old and new areas with expanded farming groups’ mostly with small level farmers.

 

Both improved farming, farming and general management is very important to harvest a good crop starting from pond preparation, water, feed and health management. After harvest, post harvest handling, cool chain management and group selling is also important. CISD needs capacity building on above mentioned areas through group leaders training, who will in turn train fellow members of their group together with some basic training to farmers as a whole. 

 

Under the project CISD has been conducted training on modern aquaculture technologies for 1000 fishing farmers in Charfassion upazila of Bhola district and Nesarabad upazila of Piropur district in the year 2012. The project will be continued upto September 2013. Under this period CISD will conduct training on modern aquaculture technology. Total 800 fishing farmers (400 new farmers and 400 old farmers) will receive training from this project in Charfassion upazila of Bhola district and Nesarabad upazila of Pirojpur district. CISD provided assistance in training farmers to improve key production and management practices including :
 

 

b. Rice cum Fish Culture Project :

 

Financial and technical assistance from Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) through ATT Project of PROSHIKA Manobik Unnayan Kendra,  CISD has been implemented Rice-cum-Fish Culture Project from July 1999 to June 2001 in Roypura upazila of Norshingdi district and Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district. Under this project total 80 nos. of fishing farmers were benefited. CISD provided training on technical aspects of rice-cum-fish technology to the fishing farmers of the project. In the 1st year selected 40 farmers attended in a 3-day long training in two batches on technical aspects of rice-cum-fish technology organized by CISD. The training was held at Adiabad area of Roypura Upazila under Norshingdi district.  Resource Persons from CISD and PROSHIKA conducted the training program. Another 40 selected farmers attended in a 3 days long training course in two batches in Sreepur area in the second year. The training was held at the Hayatkharchala High School. 

 

c. Aquaculture Technology Transfer Project:

 

Financial and technical assistance from Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) through Department of Fisheries, Gazipur, CISD has been implemented the Dissemination of Modern Aquaculture Technology Transfer to the Grassroots level of Kaliakair upazila under Gazipur district from July 1999 to June 2001. Under this project total 25 fishing farmers were benefited. In the project period, CISD imparted training on modern aquaculture technology in Kaliakair upazila under Gazipur district. Around 50 nos. of fishing farmers in two batches received training on this issue.