Kupwara DC Srikant Suse Flags Off ATMA Exposure Tour to Boost Modern Fish Farming Practices
KUPWARA, JULY 15, 2026 — In a major push toward agricultural modernization and boosting rural livelihoods, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara, Srikant Suse, officially flagged off a specialized exposure tour today for 40 local fish farmers. Organised by the Department of Fisheries under the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) scheme, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between traditional farming and modern aquaculture. By equipping local farmers with advanced, scientific methodologies, the administration seeks to transform Kupwara into a thriving hub for high-yield fisheries.
During the flag-off ceremony, Deputy Commissioner Srikant Suse emphasized the immense, untapped potential of the fisheries sector within the Kupwara district. He highlighted that hands-on exposure visits are critical catalyst tools, allowing farmers to transcend textbook knowledge and witness advanced, scientific aquaculture practices in real-time. The DC strongly urged the participating farmers to actively leverage various government welfare schemes and subsidies. Doing so, he noted, would not only scale up overall fish production and regional productivity but also establish resilient, sustainable livelihoods that can fortify the local economy.
Providing technical context to the tour, Assistant Director of Fisheries for Kupwara, Dr. Salman Rauoof Chalkoo, explained that the itinerary is strategically designed to provide practical exposure at highly successful fisheries units across the district. Over the course of the tour, the 40 participating farmers will directly interact with progressive aquaculture entrepreneurs and technical experts. This firsthand engagement will focus heavily on mastering scientific trout farming, maintaining stringent water quality management, executing optimal feeding practices, implementing proactive disease prevention, and adopting superior overall farm management techniques.
The participating fish farmers expressed their deep gratitude to the Department of Fisheries for organizing the educational tour. They noted that moving beyond standard training rooms to see operational, high-yield farms provides them with the practical confidence required to upgrade their own setups and significantly increase their profit margins. Reaffirming its long-term vision, the Department of Fisheries reiterated its steadfast commitment to strengthening the region’s aquaculture infrastructure through continuous capacity-building programmes, technical demonstrations, and regular exposure visits under the ATMA framework and allied government initiatives.