The Government of Bangladesh, assisted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is engaged in the project Fresh Water Pearl Culture (TCP/BGD/4508) whose main objectives are to improve mussel culture techniques and to establish a mussel culture farm.
As part of the project operations, FAO assigned Mr Rudolfo Pagcatipunan as Pearl Culture Specialist from 24 August 1985 to 23 August 1986 with the following terms of reference:
to be responsible for the training and transfer of techniques of pink pearl culture on a scientific basis
to prepare a manual of the culture of pink pearls in Bangladesh.
The Pearl Culture Project, TCP/BGD/4508, is a follow-up of a previous project with the same title - TCP/BGD/2308. In the previous project, a pilot farm was established at the Aquaculture Experiment Station (AES) of the Directorate of Fisheries (DOF) in Mymensingh (now Freshwater Aquaculture Research Station (FARS) of the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI). A pearl culture technician was recruited to set up the farm and to train Government officers in pearl culture. The project was in operation from 10 March 1984 to 9 March 1985.
The recent project, TCP/BGD/4508, was implemented by the Fishery Advisory Services Project (BGD/81/034). In addition to the appointment of Mr Pagcatipunan the FARS provided for the following counterparts:
Mr Md. Sailfuddin Shah - Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Counterpart
Mrs Nurun Hahar Begum - Scientific Officer
Mrs Montaz Begum - Scientific Officer
Mr Jahirul Islam - Research Assistant
