The US$ 3 million initiative will bolster food and nutritional security and fortify resilience by establishing four community operated mini hatcheries in Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, Anuradhapura and Monaragala district.

It will upgrade four NAQDA Aquaculture Development Centres and one community operated mini fish breeding centre.

The aim is to increase breeding and rearing capacity, enhance fingerling stocks in selected reservoirs, develop broodstock for breeding units and promote cage culture for seed rearing among fisher communities.

The one-year project will also provide 3 live fish transportation trucks to NAQDA to transport fingerlings, integrate digital technology to inland fisheries, and enhance the technical capacities of officers and fishers in the production, management, processing and value addition of inland fisheries.