Capacity Building for Institute of Agriculture

and Animal Sciences in Nepal

ACRSP – UM/AIT Team

Background – IAAS in NepalBackground – IAAS in Nepal

Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) is located at southern part of central (IAAS) is located at southern part of central NepalNepal

IAAS is the only institute for postgraduate IAAS is the only institute for postgraduate program in agriculture and animal sciences program in agriculture and animal sciences in Nepal. in Nepal.

Aquaculture is the one of the departments Aquaculture is the one of the departments that runs master program and started since that runs master program and started since 1999 with one student with very limited 1999 with one student with very limited facilities (laboratory and research fields). facilities (laboratory and research fields).

ACRSP Work in NepalACRSP Work in Nepal

As ACRSP extended its regional sites from As ACRSP extended its regional sites from Southeast Asia to South and Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia to South and Southeast Asia, IAAS started involvement in ACRSP in 2001.IAAS started involvement in ACRSP in 2001.

Four research projects have been conducted in Four research projects have been conducted in IAAS: IAAS:

– Polyculture of grass carp and Nile tilapia; Polyculture of grass carp and Nile tilapia; – Integrated cage cum pond culture of sahar and carps Integrated cage cum pond culture of sahar and carps

(on-station); (on-station); – Integrated cage cum pond culture of catfish and Integrated cage cum pond culture of catfish and

carps (on-station and on-farm); carps (on-station and on-farm); – Impact of tilapia introduction on the indigenous Impact of tilapia introduction on the indigenous

species of Nepal. species of Nepal.

ACRSP Impacts: Lab facilityACRSP Impacts: Lab facility

Establish Aquaculture LabEstablish Aquaculture Lab – Oven, Muffle furnace, Water distillation Oven, Muffle furnace, Water distillation

set, Autoclave, Centrifuge, Electronic set, Autoclave, Centrifuge, Electronic balance, and Deionizer columnbalance, and Deionizer column

– Consumable chemicals Consumable chemicals

ACRSP Impacts: Field facilityACRSP Impacts: Field facility

18 cement tanks of 24 m18 cement tanks of 24 m22 size. size.

29 earthen ponds of 100 m29 earthen ponds of 100 m22 size size

Drainage canals Drainage canals Research farm has been Research farm has been

fenced with barbed wire fenced with barbed wire and cement poles. and cement poles.

Farm electricity supply and Farm electricity supply and lighting. lighting.

ACRSP Impacts: Staff trainingACRSP Impacts: Staff training

HC PI (Madhav Shrestha, Department Head and HC PI (Madhav Shrestha, Department Head and IAAS Director of Research) has completed both IAAS Director of Research) has completed both MSc and PhD programs at AIT.MSc and PhD programs at AIT.

One teaching staff has completed MSc program at One teaching staff has completed MSc program at AIT.AIT.

One teaching staff has completed MSc program at One teaching staff has completed MSc program at AIT, and has conducted PhD research and is AIT, and has conducted PhD research and is finalizing her dissertation.finalizing her dissertation.

ACRSP Impacts: M Sc StudentsACRSP Impacts: M Sc Students

Six batches of MSc students (15 in total) have been Six batches of MSc students (15 in total) have been graduated by now.graduated by now.

They have been able to conduct experiments and They have been able to conduct experiments and lab analyses for their thesis work, because of lab analyses for their thesis work, because of improved lab/field facilities by ACRSP.improved lab/field facilities by ACRSP.

ACRSP Impacts: Regional/International ACRSP Impacts: Regional/International Conferences Conferences

With ACRSP support, the HC PI has been able to With ACRSP support, the HC PI has been able to attend several regional/international conferences attend several regional/international conferences such as WAS, AFS, ISTA and CAA2 to update such as WAS, AFS, ISTA and CAA2 to update knowledge. knowledge.

ACRSP: Conclusion ACRSP: Conclusion

ACRSP has been the instrumental to ACRSP has been the instrumental to IAAS IAAS aquaculture department in capacity building in aquaculture department in capacity building in research, research facilities and ultimately in quality research, research facilities and ultimately in quality education. education.

ACRSP ACRSP is a great help to is a great help to the education and the education and development of aquaculture at development of aquaculture at IAAS and Nepal as IAAS and Nepal as well.well.