6. TRAINING

6.1 Training of staff

(82) The most critical issue in fisheries research in Bangladesh is the relative inexperience of the scientists in carrying out research at internationally aknowledged levels. A large part of the staff of FRI is very young, and often the experience is limited to one or two B Sc or M Sc subjects. Other staff members are rather experienced in fields that are somewhat remote from their present project area.

(83) Under the IDA Agricultural Research II Project as well as under the DANIDA and IDRC projects possibilities are created for long- and short-term training of staff inside and outside Bangladesh. Based on the available places and on the research priority areas identified in this report and in the 20 years' development plan for the fisheries sector, a Staff Training Programme has been prepared and presented in Table 6.

The proposed long-term training elements (Ph D and M Sc scholarships in Bangladesh and abroad) are final: they are expected to cover the direct needs of manpower development of FRI. Trainees from this long-term programme are expected to form the scientific kernel of FRI in the near future; continuation of their employment in FRI for at least 5 years after termination of their scholarships will have to be compulsary.

The proposed short-term training elements have a more provisional character. The elements listed are most needed, but the availability of suitable trainees is not yet clear, as recruitment is still proceeding. In Table 6, the positions C2 - C11 are meant for teamleaders; the positions C1 and C12 - C28 for the FRI-management (director, additional director, CSO's), and the positions C29 - C40 for technicians.

In addition to the training mentioned in Table 6, IDA (through BARC) will provide training that is aiming at improvement of the research infrastructure. Planned courses include Financial Administration, and Research Planning and Evaluation.

(84) As soon as the majority of the research programmes in the Freshwater Aquaculture Research Station are running smoothly, it will become advisable to contact FAO's Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia (NACA), with the request to include the Station in the Network. The NACA-programme does not only take care of exchange of research results between centres, but it provides also strong training assistance by stimulation of exchange of specialists/researchers and by organization of technical courses.

Table 6 - FRI staff training programme

6.2 Training by staff

(85) It has been mentioned before, that one of the tasks of FRI is to transfer research results to extension workers, policy makers, and the scientific community. Within the framework of the Agricultural Research II project provisions are available for such transfer of knowledge. A preliminary programme is presented in Table 7; an implementation schedule will be set up in a later phase in consultation with the Director Training of BARC.

Table 7 - Training by FRI-staff