16^th August 2011, Chennai

Dr. S.Ayyappan, Hon’ble Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), launched the new-look website (http://www.ciba.res.in) of the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA, ICAR) during his recent visit to Chennai on 16^th August 2011. CIBA is one among the nine consortia partners of the NAIP sub-project of ”Agroweb – Digital Dissemination System for Indian Agricultural Research (ADDSIAR)” being carried out under the leadership of National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi. The Agroweb project team of CIBA has designed and developed the model website with in-house expertise confirming with “Uniformity Guidelines for Websites” as issued by ICAR. The meeting was attended by 200 staff members of CIBA and Madras Research Centre of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (MRC of CMFRI, ICAR), Chennai. Dr.A.G.Ponniah, Director, CIBA welcomed the gathering and thanked Dr. S.Ayyappan for accepting the invitation to visit the Institute in spite of hectic schedule of his programmes in the city during the current visit. Dr.T. Ravisankar, Senior Scientist and Consortium Co Principal Investigator of the Agroweb sub project under National Agricultural Innovation Programme explained the facilities added in the new look website of CIBA that has been dynamically updated with JOOMLA content management system and Web 2.0 technologies. In the new website, a Google location map helps the prospective visitors to identify the location of the Institute. Five online dynamic and interactive databases on ‘Brackishwater candidate species’, ‘Shrimp production and export statistics’, ‘Diseases of aquatic animals’, ‘National fisheries policies’ and ‘Fisheries institutions’ with a weekly weather advisory, have been included in the website. Subscribed users get automated email alerts with a subscription utility when new announcements like jobs, tenders, and meetings are posted in the website. A video and photo gallery, voluntary disclosure of information under Right to Information (RTI Act, 2005), links to websites of other fisheries/aquaculture Institutions and Agri-feeds are also available. Intranet link facilitates office staff to login complaints of breakdown of personal computers and office fixtures and furnishings which need to be attended by Agricultural Knowledge Management Unit and Engineering Cell. Office use forms, internal circulars and other items of interest to CIBA staff are made available  via intranet. The website is reviewed on a continuous basis by a committee constituted by the Director, CIBA.  The usage of CIBA website has increased many folds with trial floating of beta version of website as reflected in Google analytics web traffic statistics.  ‘Total number of visitors per annum’ increased from 8712 to 27861 (319.80% increase) and the ‘Number of visits to CIBA website from other countries/territories’ has increased from 33 to 87 (263.64 % increase), after trial launch of beta version.  Dr. S.Ayyappan test navigated the website after launch and con gratulated  the Director and Agroweb project team of CIBA for their painstaking efforts. Further Dr.S.Ayyappan briefed the latest developments and new initiatives of ICAR from the changes in personal policies to new platforms proposed under 12^th plan and interacted with scientists and staff of CIBA and Madras Research Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Chennai in detail. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr.E.Vivekanandan, Principal Scientist & Scientist-In-Charge, MRC of CMFRI, Chennai.