New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) have come together to implement a disaster preparedness programme. The programme is especially designed to enable the coastal community in Tamil Nadu to upgrade their skills and provide them with long-term, sustainable livelihood options. Under this, demand-driven knowledge is provided to the community through the internet, print media and mobile phones.
V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor of IGNOU, has said that they are the knowledge partners of MSSRF. Also, IGNOU would be setting up colleges for rural communities in different locations. The Poompuhar College is the first one to be launched. He also added that the attempt is to develop a climate-resilient coastal community with knowledge and skills necessary to overcome the adverse impact of tsunamis and rises in sea level. The college would prepare fishermen in the use of mobile technology, scientific data and market-related information to reduce operational costs, while increasing their income.
As per sources, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, forecast sea wave heights and the zones of fish agglomeration. These forecasts are transmitted by MSSRF, by tying-up with mobile telephone companies, to the fishermen in real time. Moreover, IGNOU is also looking at offering a short-term course for women at Poompuhar on hygienic handling of the catch to prevent spoilage and contamination by pathogenic organisms.
