March 2023: Project Team members along with Project Assistants visited Rameswaram and Kilakarai on 22^nd March 2023. The project team visited Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI), Marine Algal Research Station, Mandapam. The scientists from CSMCRI explained various activities such as the cultivation and seaweed seedling production facilitiesof Kappahycusalvarezii and Gracilaria edulis edible seaweeds. Information related to FFPOs and SHGs involved in seaweed farming was collected for the purchase of seaweed and fisherfolk details for providing training. The Project Team has also visited North and South Pamban to see the cultivation of Kappaphycus alvarezii.

         The Project Team visited Nallu Panai, an adopted village of UBA -participating Institute Velumanoharan Arts and Science College for Women, Devipattinam (ECR Road) – Ramanathapuram. A meeting with 50 Fishermen was arranged by the UBA participating institute and interacted with them for their need for alternative income-generating activities during the annual seasonal fishing ban and during adverse climatic conditions. The contact details of interested fishermen were collected for training on seaweed products. Thereafter, the Project Team visited Kilakarai (Bharathi Nagar & Mangaleswari Nagar) an adopted coastal hamlet of UBA participating institute Mohamed Sathak Engineering College, Sathak Nagar, East Coast Road, Kilakarai who had arranged for a meeting with women seaweed collectors from the registered Fishermen Cooperative Societies in both the hamlets. In Bharathi Nagar, 28 women seaweed collectors from MeenavarMagalirMunnetra Sangam participated in the meeting and 30 women attended at Mangaleswari Nagar.