DOIMUKH, Feb 18: With a view to empower unemployed educated local youth and farmers with technical skills in fisheries and allied sectors, the first phase of the ‘Catch Them Young’ comprehensive skill development training programme on fisheries for the current year commenced here today, with Fisheries Minister Gabriel D Wangsu launching the GoAP initiative.
A total of 49 farmers coming from four districts - Papum Pare, Keyi Panyor, Kra Daadi, and Kamle - will undergo a five-day skill training at the Fish Farmers’ Training Centre, Emchi, Doimukh. The intensive training will cover key areas including feed management, breeding and fish sampling techniques.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister exhorted farmers to adopt fish farming as an important livelihood activity. “The intention is to give technical knowledge to the interested farmers,” he said, adding that the lack of skills often leads farmers to failure, which in turn results in demotivation among the youth.
“I want the young farmers to be motivated. Youths get demotivated when they fail in farming,” the Minister observed, expressing government’s commitment to providing handholding to trained farmers in the form of priority in availing schemes such as the Atma Nirbhar Scheme.
Describing the initiative as modest yet impactful, Wangsu said: “It is a small initiative but effective, for the government and for the farmers themselves.” He emphasized that the ‘Catch Them Young’ programme has been conceived with sincerity by the state government and is an important priority of the Pema Khandu-led administration. The Minister also expressed optimism about achieving surplus fish production if farmers are adequately skilled in their activities.
Progressive fish farmers Likha Maj and Tana Hari shared their success stories with the new batch of trainees, offering encouragement and practical insights drawn from their own experiences.
The programme was attended by Commissioner Fisheries Tai Kaye, besides Deputy Director and Assistant Director of the department.