Directorate of Incubation and Vocational Training in Aquaculture (DIVA)

Before you apply

• The directorate's pages do not publish an application form, eligibility rules or intake dates for its incubation facilities.
• Call 044 - 2747 2118 or visit the campus at ECR - Muttukadu, Kancheepuram - 603 112 to ask about space and terms.
• Ask what the lease rate is, since the page only says its rates are lower.

Choose the facility you need

• Feed production: the aquafeed extrusion mill, for commercial feed.
• Feed and water testing: the feed quality analysis laboratory.
• High-density culture trials: the RAS units.
• Technology validation: the shrimp farming units.
• Fish rearing and feed evaluation: the indoor aquaculture complex.

What helps your conversation with the directorate

• Say which group you are: start-up, progressive farmer or small enterprise.
• Name the species and process you want to test, such as shrimp, tilapia or feed formulation.
• Ask about mentoring from university experts and about market linkages, which the page lists as part of its guidance.

DIVA is the Directorate of Incubation and Vocational Training in Aquaculture, a directorate of Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University. It is based at ECR Muttukadu in Kancheepuram district, near Chennai, and its Director is Dr. A. Uma. Its incubation facilities are open to start-ups, progressive farmers and small enterprises working in aquaculture and fish feed.

Where it came from

The directorate began as the Fisheries Institute of Technology and Training (FITT), which the Tamil Nadu Government started under the Fisheries Department in 2008. A university order dated 14.04.2018 renamed it DIVA. Its own page describes the directorate's purpose as bridging technology and practice: developing aquaculture technologies, solving problems for industry, nurturing entrepreneurship and training skilled para-professionals for the sector.

What it offers start-ups

The incubation offer is the part most relevant to founders. The page says DIVA provides affordable and well-equipped incubation facilities for start-ups, progressive farmers and small enterprises. Its mission includes business incubation with lower lease rates and technical support. The facilities it names are an aquafeed extrusion mill for commercial feed production, recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) units for high-density culture trials, and shrimp farming units for technology validation and business incubation.

The page says these facilities are backed by technical mentoring from university experts. It also says the directorate gives guidance on business planning, technology adoption and market linkages, and that it partners with aquaculture companies on technology transfer, feed trials and product development.

Facilities

The aquafeed extrusion mill produces floating feed at 100-150 kg per hour and sinking feed at 400-500 kg per hour. A feed quality analysis laboratory tests the nutritional composition and physical characteristics of feed, and it also offers water quality analysis and basic disease diagnostics. An indoor aquaculture complex supports controlled-environment fish rearing, breeding trials and feed evaluation.

The directorate also runs fish cage culture units at Kolavai Lake in Chengalpattu district and at Poondi Reservoir in Tiruvallur district.

Who can apply

The directorate's pages do not publish an application form, eligibility rules or intake dates for its incubation facilities. The only stated audience is start-ups, progressive farmers and small enterprises. Anyone planning around the facilities should confirm space and terms directly with the directorate.

Training and track record

The directorate runs training programmes, farmer workshops and live demonstrations. Its training table lists 21 trainings with 667 beneficiaries. These are the directorate's own figures, not a count of incubated companies. An earlier project was titled TNJFU's Business Incubators in Aquaculture and Fish Processing Technology to promote Start-ups Integrated Fisheries Entrepreneurship in Tamil Nadu State.

Locations and contact

The main campus is at ECR Muttukadu, Kancheepuram 603 112. The directorate's phone number is 044 - 2747 2118. Its fish cage units are at Kolavai Lake in Chengalpattu district and Poondi Reservoir in Tiruvallur district.