EU Funded and WorldFish implemented Artemia4Bangladesh organized a Workshop on Access to Credit for Artemia and Aquaculture Production with the NGOs (Mukti Cox`s Bazar, Shusilan and COAST Foundation), Artemia and aquaculture cluster leaders, Artemia farmers, and women farmers leaders on 11 July 2023 at Long Beach Hotel, Cox`s Bazar

Md. Sayed Lutful Kabir, Deputy Chief Executive, Mukti Cox`s Bazar, Mr. Anwar Hossain, Regional Program Coordinator, COAST Foundation and Amit Kumar Mishra, Advisor Grants Management, Shusilan participated in the workshop. The Workshop was facilitated by Dr. Muhammad Meezanur Rahman, Technical Lead of Artemia4Bangladesh project.

Dr. Meezanur Rahman, Technical Lead of WorldFish, presented brief about Artemia and aquaculture status in the salt farm, objective of the project and success stories of farmers from different demonstration sites. He reemphasized that Artemia biomass are now used as live/frozen feed for shrimp post-larvae, shrimp juvenile, shrimp broodstock, fish and shrimp grow out ponds.

Md. Sayed Lutful Kabir, Deputy Chief Executive, Mukti Cox`s Bazar, Artemia and aquaculture entrepreneurs/ farmers are eligible to take credit by submitting their proper documents and following guidelines.

Mr. Anwar Hossain, Regional Program Coordinator, COAST Foundation stated that NGOs established to help the poor/landless people through micro-credit and in future we can provide loan service for Artemia and aquaculture farmers in line with COAST foundation credit policy.

Amit Kumar Mishra, Advisor Grants Management, Shusilan noted that, we are happy to see the success of Artemia and and aquaculture production in the salt farm and we can assist farmers in future to improve their income through appropriate credit system.

Mr. Harunur Rashid, a successful Artemia farmer from Khamarpara, Chowfaldandi said, “I used Artemia biomass in my shrimp nursery and growout farm and sold it to the shrimp hatcheries at Cox's bazar, which helped to improve shrimp production by 1.5 times over the previous year.”.

Abdullah Al Mamun, Artemia Farmer from Teknaf said, “I am inspired to start Artemia culture by seeing the success of other Artemia farmers in my village and as most of the salt farmers are poor, we may need loan in future for Artemia and aquaculture production”

Selina Akter, Homestead aquaculture farmer from PM Khali said, women can play important roles for the development of rural health, nutrition and economy through nutrition sensitive fish culture and vegetable gardening and thanks to WorldFish for technical support”

Bedarul Alam, Artemia farmer (Cluster leader) from Cox`s Bazar sadar area said, “it would be great if we get agricultural loans with low interest rate”
Mahbub Alam, Artemia Farmer from Moheskhali, noted that “we produced Artemia and sold in the hatcheries, and now in the rainy season we will culture Tilapia in the Artemia ponds and if we get loan in low interest rate and appropriate timely installment.