The ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (CIARI) in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) organized a workshop on NICMISan ICT tool for the Nicobarese youths on 24.02.2024 at ICAR-CIARI, Port Blairwith an aim to sensitize the participants about the challenges and threats faced by the marine ecosystems of the Nicobar Archipelago and to familiarize the participants with the trial version of NICMIS (Nicobar Coastal Management Information System) a user-friendly application designed for the use of Nicobar traditional people in Car Nicobar.
The participants received hands-on training on NICMIS, learning about its functionalities and benefits. It facilitates citizen science initiatives thatempower the local communities to monitor and report sea turtle nesting, marine mammal sightings, reef monitoring, incidences of poaching, and record the plastic debris in the coastal environment of Car Nicobar.This workshop marked a significant step towards empowering the indigenous communities of the Nicobar Islands with ICT tools.
A total of 39 participants attended the workshop of which 30 volunteers from Car Nicobar enthusiastically came forward and installed the application on their mobile phones, demonstrating their excitement to contribute as citizen scientists and actively participate in protecting their environment.
The workshop was coordinated by Dr. R Kiruba Sankar and his team of scientists Dr. K Saravanan, Dr. J Praveenraj, Dr. D Karunakaran, Dr. Chittaranjan Raul, and Dr. S K Zamir Ahmed under the overall guidance of Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI.