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HomePosts Tagged "Ministry of Fisheries"
Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, India, Live Stock

The Department of Fisheries under PMMSY, launched the developing of a Tuna Cluster in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, focusing on investment in infrastructure, investor partnerships, training, and capacity-building to strengthen operations and boost global competitiveness in tuna fisheries.

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal husbandry & Dairying Organized the Investors Meet 2024: Investment Opportunities in Fisheries and Aquaculture sector of Andaman & Nicobar Islands on 14th November 2024 at Swaraj Dweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the gracious presence of Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Admiral D K Joshi, Minister of State for MoFAH&D and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for MoFAH&D and Ministry of Minority Affairs George Kurian, Department of Fisheries, MoFAH&D Secretary, and Chief Secretary of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Investors from various parts of the country specializing in technologies related to Tuna Fishing and Seaweed also participated in the event. In this context, The Department of Fisheries, GoI, under PMMSY, launched the developing of a Tuna Cluster in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, focusing on investment in infrastructure, investor partnerships, training, and capacity-building to strengthen operations and boost global competitiveness in tuna fisheries.

The global tuna industry, valued at over $40 billion annually, plays a major role in the blue economy. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands represent a prime opportunity for this sector, with a vast 6 lakh square km Exclusive Economic Zone rich in high-value tuna species and an untapped oceanic potential of 60,000 metric tons. This includes 24,000 metric tons for Yellowfin and 2,000 metric tons for Skipjack, while current harvests stand at just 4,420 metric tons, leaving ample room for expansion. Strategically located near Southeast Asia, the islands offer efficient trade routes by sea and air, ideally positioning India to expand its tuna export capabilities.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, envisioned the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a future hub for fisheries exports, noting that the government is also working to strengthen trade with Southeast Asian countries. Additionally, he outlined efforts to promote deep-sea fishing and develop post-harvest processing facilities to help achieve the export target of Rs1 lakh crore. The Union Minister emphasised on creating modern fishing infrastructure in A&N for sustainably utilising huge untapped resources of this region. 

The Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Admiral D.K. Joshi, addressed key challenges facing the fisheries sector in the region, including logistical issues due to limited connectivity with Southeast Asia, delays in trade clearances caused by the absence of MPEDA and EIC offices (with Chennai being the nearest office), and the need for improved transport infrastructure. To address these challenges, a direct flight connecting the Andaman & Nicobar Islands with Southeast Asia though Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia, will be inaugurated on 16th November 2024, enabling the trade connectivity. First export consignment may be sent via the return flight. Additionally, for seafood exports promotion from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the MPEDA and EIC have established desk offices at Port Blair enhancing the efficiency of trade clearances and facilitating smoother operations.

The Department of Fisheries under PMMSY, launched

AgroPolicy, Animal Health, Finance, India, Live Stock, Schemes - Govt

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying also released ‘Revolutionizing Animal Health: Standard Veterinary Treatment Guidelines and Crisis Management Plan during the event.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying launched the Pandemic Fund Project on “Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response” in New Delhi.  The Pandemic Fund Project is a $25 Million initiative funded by the G20 Pandemic Fund.

The “Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response” initiative will play a key role in reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases that can spread from animals to humans. The Pandemic Fund Project will focus on enhancing India’s animal health systems, thereby fortifying the country’s defences against future pandemics. It will be implemented in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank.

On this occasion the Union Minister also released two important documents aimed at strengthening animal health management in India:

Standard Veterinary Treatment Guidelines (SVTG): A comprehensive document that outlines best practices for veterinary care, aimed at improving the overall health and productivity of livestock and supporting to the national action plan for Anti-microbial resistance.

Crisis Management Plan (CMP) for Animal Diseases: A critical resource that will provide a framework for managing and responding to outbreaks of animal diseases, ensuring rapid containment and mitigation.

These documents will serve as vital tools for veterinarians, policymakers, and field officials, helping to ensure timely and effective responses to animal health crises and improving disease management protocols.

In his address Rajiv Ranjan Singh highlighted the importance of the Livestock Sector as it contributes to the social and economic upliftment of the society.  He stated that the livestock sector has shown immense growth in the last 9 years with the implementation of many schemes of the department. Through National Animal Disease Control Program (NADCP), the department is aiming to control and eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis from the country.  He said that so far, a total of 90.87 crores FMD vaccines and 4.23 crore vaccines for Brucellosis have been administered. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is also planning for creation of FMD Disease Free Zones in nine states of the country.

 He also said that the Pandemic Fund supports the existing initiatives of the department through enhancing disease surveillance including genomic and environmental surveillance for early warning, laboratory infrastructure development, cross-border collaboration, and will create a more integrated system for monitoring and managing zoonotic diseases.

Further, in his address the Union Minister emphasised on the importance of adopting a One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health in preventing and managing health crises. With most recent public health emergencies stemming from animal origins, the project reinforces the need to address zoonotic risks to protect both human and animal populations from future pandemics.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Ministry of

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, India, Live Stock

The guidelines will facilitate import of high-quality seed materials or germplasm from abroad, enabling domestic multiplication for ensuring farmers have access to quality seed stock.

In a significant move, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has notified the ‘Guidelines for Import of Live Seaweeds into India’. This initiative aims to bolster the development of seaweed enterprises as a key economic driver for coastal villages, ensuring livelihood sustainability and socio-economic upliftment of the fisher community while upholding environmental protection and biosecurity concerns at the core of all actions.

The guidelines will facilitate import of high-quality seed materials or germplasm from abroad, enabling domestic multiplication for ensuring farmers have access to quality seed stock. Currently, the growth of seaweed enterprises in India faces the challenge of seed availability in sufficient quantity for the commercially valuable species, and quality degradation in the seed materials of Kappaphycus, the most commonly farmed seaweed species.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya sampada Yoiana (PMMSY), the flagship scheme of Government of India envisaged to revolutionize the seaweed sector, aiming to increase seaweed production of the country over 1.12 million tonnes by 2025. Under the scheme, the Government have taken many steps to strengthen the seaweed farming activities the prominent of which is establishment of Multipurpose Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu with the total investment of Rs 127.7 crore.

The guidelines outline a process for importing live seaweed, including a clear regulatory framework for the import of live seaweed, ensuring transparency and accountability, strict quarantine procedures to prevent introduction of pests and diseases, risk assessment to identify potential biosecurity concerns and post-import monitoring for strengthening ongoing monitoring and risk assessment.

This guideline will encourage responsible cultivation of seaweed, ensuring environmental sustainability and economic growth. Further, the import of new seaweed strains will stimulate research and development, leading to enhanced seaweed production of variety of seaweed species belonging to red, brown and green algae, paving way for development of downstream seaweed processing and value addition enterprises which will yield additional livelihoods in the villages while bolstering the overall export of the country.

As per the guidelines, for import of live seaweed into India, the importers may submit a detailed application to the Department of Fisheries which will be reviewed by the National Committee on Introduction of Exotic Aquatic Species into Indian Waters. Upon approval, the Department will issue an import permit within four weeks, facilitating the import of high-quality seaweed germplasm.

The guidelines thus provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for the import of live seaweeds into India, ensuring that the process is conducted safely, smoothly and responsibly. Department of Fisheries, Government of India encourage stakeholders, such as researchers, entrepreneurs, and farmers, to take advantage of these new opportunities and contribute to the growth of the seaweed industry.

The guidelines will facilitate import of high-quality

Acquaculture, Agro Universities, India

Black soldier fly larvae will be utilized to transform the waste into sustainable protein sources, offering an alternative to fish meal in mariculture feed.

 George Kurian, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Minority Affairs inaugurated the black soldier fly-based bio-waste conversion unit at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi. As part of the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign led by ICAR-CMFRI, the newly established unit is designed to process vegetable and fishery-related biological waste, adhering to zero waste and circular economy principles. Black soldier fly larvae will be utilized to transform the waste into sustainable protein sources, offering an alternative to fish meal in mariculture feed.

Kurian stated that the Swachh Bharat initiative is dedicated to improve all facets of human life, from production and development to fisheries, agriculture, and the industrial sector. Prioritising cleanliness and sanitation will help create a healthier and more prosperous society, he added. The Minister also said that the government’s Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) programme aims to foster a behavioural change with a mindful and deliberate utilisation of natural resources. He also accentuated that efforts are underway to expand the installation of artificial reefs in the coastal waters of all maritime states, led by the Union Fisheries Department.

Kurian interacted with fish farmers and entrepreneurs in ornamental fisheries, fish seed production, integrated fish farming and fish vending.  He reviewed various facilities, ICAR-CMFRI including Science Technology and Innovation Hub, hatcheries, laboratories and library.

Dr Grinson George, Director, ICAR-CMFRI, emphasized that the Institute followed a scientific approach to swachhata initiatives, including eco-friendly and low carbon technologies in the marine fisheries sector. ICAR-CMFRI focuses on community-based awareness campaigns, especially among women entrepreneurs, helping them to take up these technologies”, he added.

Dr Kuldeep K Lal, Director, ICAR- Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai, also graced the occasion. A book titled ‘One Decade of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan at ICAR-CMFRI’ and a brochure on BSFL based bio-waste conversion were released by the Minister on the occasion.

Black soldier fly larvae will be utilized

Dairy, India, Interaction, Live Stock

The conference will delve into cutting-edge topics such as productivity enhancement, digitalisation, sustainable practices, and climate action in the dairy sector.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, NDDB and IDF have jointly organised the three days ‘ First IDF Regional Dairy Conference Asia Pacific 2024’ kickstarted today in Kochi, Kerala.

Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB & Member INC International Dairy Federation welcoming Ministers, Secretaries, President & Director General, IDF, Sponsors, Session Chairs, Invited Speakers, Delegates, Dairy Farmers to the First IDF Regional Dairy Conference Asia Pacific 2024 in Kochi, Kerala said that NDDB is honoured to host this prestigious event under the theme ‘Farmer Centric Innovations in Dairying’ in Kochi, Kerala.

He underscored in his address that dairying is not just an industry; it’s a lifeline for over 1 billion people worldwide, supporting livelihoods and fostering rural economies. In India alone, over 8 crore people are engaged in dairy-related activities, highlighting its critical role in socio-economic development.

He informed that the conference will delve into cutting-edge topics such as productivity enhancement, digitalisation, sustainable practices, and climate action in the dairy sector. He further added that the exhibition featuring transformative products and technologies will showcase the industry’s progress and potential. Let’s leverage this platform to collaborate, exchange ideas, and strategies on overcoming challenges and achieving sustainable growth in the dairy sector.

He also mentioned that this conference will bring together all stakeholders to come up with innovations in areas of improved germplasm, new products development, better health monitoring, advancement in nutrition, livestock quality and quantity & a transparent supply chain network.

During the conference, Member Secretary, INC IDF and Board Member IDF, Dr Shah said that India seized the opportunity to host the inaugural IDF regional dairy conference for Asia Pacific region on the theme ‘Farmer Centric Innovations’.

He informed that the event would see participation of distinguished speakers, policy makers, research from various esteemed global dairy organisations in the event. He also mentioned that Animal Husbandry Ministers & Secretaries from various states will also represent their respective States. Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Dept. of AHD & President INC-IDF, Pier Cristiano Brazzale Brazalle, President IDF and Ms. Laurence Rycken, DG, IDF along with over 1,000 registered delegates from across 25 countries and 400-500 farmers will also grace the 3-day conference. He informed that the event would showcase India’s innovative strives in the sector and will provide platform to 22 organisations & 17 startups to demonstrate their products/activities at the exhibition hosted during the IDF regional event.

The conference will delve into cutting-edge topics

AgroPolicy, Animal Health, Animal Husbandry, Cold Storage, India, Live Stock, Supply Chain

This MoU will contribute to creation of a digital future via digitalization and remote temperature monitoring of cold chain by UNDP India.

The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India on Digitalization of Vaccine Cold Chain Management, Capacity Building, and Communication Planning.

The MOU was signed today at “We the People Hall”, UNDP Country office, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi between Alka Upadhyay, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Caitlin Wiesen. UNDP Resident Representative in India. This strategic partnership aims to enhance the digitalization of vaccine cold chain management, capacity building, and communication planning in India.

Notably, UNDP and DAHD will jointly work on Strengthening Animal Health with One Health approach at centre. This step will contribute to creation of a digital future via digitalization and remote temperature monitoring of cold chain by UNDP India. This will ensure that vaccines are stored in an adequate temperature of prescribed limit of 2-8 degree Celsius which is important to increase immunization coverage and outreach. Currently, DAHD is supplying FMD (Foot and Mouth diseases) vaccine worth approximately Rs. 900 Crore this year and aims to cover 50 Crore large animals and 20 Crore small animals in FMD vaccination programme.

Through this MoU, technical assistance will be extended to CEAH to enhance its capabilities in animal husbandry practices. Other aspects of MoU cover support in planning and development of effective and inclusive livestock insurance programme and crafting and implementation of an effective communication plan for the department which will help in ensuring better propagation and outreach of the department’s activities. The partnership will also work on extension services and skill development initiatives to improve the technical know-how and capacities of stakeholders in the animal husbandry sector.

Addressing the meeting, Alka Upadhyay explained “With digitalization of the entire vaccine stock management system and providing real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures, the inequities in vaccine supply will be addressed by managing constraints of infrastructure, management information systems, and human resources. The vaccine cold chain management process, she added will be monitored with the help of new age technology and artificial intelligence through the Animal vaccine Intelligence Network (AVIN) developed by UNDP.

UNDP Resident Representative, Caitlin Wiesen, while signing the MoU, said that “Amid confluence of frequent zoonotic disease outbreak and climate change, animals and the communities engaged in rearing them are increasingly vulnerable. She added that through this partnership with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, UNDP will support and strengthen India’s first animal vaccine supply chain management system ensuring communities and animals are protected and further mitigating the risks at the human-animal-environment interface.”

Sarita Chauhan, Joint Secretary (LH), DAHD while explaining  the objectives of collaboration mentioned that, the essential but arduous work of real time monitoring of the vast cold chain infrastructure available across the country will be possible with the help of new age technology and artificial intelligence through the cold chain monitoring system developed by UNDP, which will support the Department to manage and deliver vaccines across the country in the right quantity, right quality, at the right time and right temperature with supportive supervision.

This MoU will contribute to creation of

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, India

The total fish production in the North- Eastern States increased from 4.03 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to highest production of 6.04 lakh tonnes during FY 2022-23.

The Inland fish production in North- Eastern States recorded an average annual growth rate of 5.38 per cent during last nine years i.e. from 2014-15 to 2022-23. The total fish production in the North- Eastern States increased from 4.03 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to highest production of 6.04 lakh tonnes during FY 2022-23.

Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying implemented Blue Revolution, Centrally Sponsored Scheme from 2015-16 to 2019-20 for development of fisheries and aquaculture in the country and the project worth Rs 391.95 crore were sanctioned for North- Eastern States. To consolidates the success and achievements of Blue Revolution, in the year 2020-21, the Government of India launched another flagship schemes namely Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with an investment of Rs 20,050 crores for a period of 5 years with effect from Financial Year 2020-21 to 2024-25 for holistic development of fisheries and aquaculture.

 PMMSY aims to enhance the fish production through establishment of new freshwater finfish hatcheries, construction of rearing ponds, grow-out ponds with inputs, biofloc ponds, Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (RAS), ornamental fish rearing unit, providing boats and nets for traditional fishermen etc. Minimum 10 per cent of the annual allocation under the scheme has been earmarked for North Eastern Region.

Under PMMSY, total projects with outlay of Rs 1391.62 crore have been approved for NER States during 2020-21 to 2023-24 (till date).

Besides, to promote easy access to credit for aqua-culture farmers, fish farms and fishing activities the Government of India in 2018-19 extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to fisher and fish farmers to help them meet their working capital needs. So far, a total of 1, 70, 674 KCC with a loan amount of Rs. 1893.43 crore have been issued including 16,870 KCC in NER.

This information was given by Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in a written reply in Lok Sabha

The total fish production in the North-

Animal Health, Live Stock, Poultry

A memorandum to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, pointed out that India’s 34.60 MMT annual maize production is insufficient to meet the requirements of the poultry industry as well as the nation’s food security

The All India Poultry Breeder Association (AIPBA) Delhi has written to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying to allow duty-free maize imports to enable the poultry industry to meet its future requirements.

The current basic import duty on maize stands at 50 per cent.

Citing concerns over the rising maize consumption in ethanol production, the All India Poultry Breeder Association (AIPBA), in a memorandum to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, pointed out that India’s 34.60 MMT annual maize production is insufficient to meet the requirements of the poultry industry as well as nation’s food security.

“As per estimates of the Indian Institute of Millets Research, the Poultry and Livestock industry consumes more than 60 per cent of the country’s maize production. In this context, the government’s ambitious plan to generate half of the ethanol from maize by 2025-26 may have some serious implications for sectors like poultry and livestock. Diverting such a significant chunk of current maize production to ethanol could impact their access to essential feedstock, creating a severe demand-supply gap in the coming years,” said the memorandum submitted to the government by the All India Poultry Breeder Association under the chairmanship of Bahadur Ali who is also the Managing Director of IB Group.

Over the last decade, maize production growth has been at 4.5 per cent, while the poultry industry has experienced a growth of 8-9 per cent. This disparity highlights the anticipated maize shortage for the poultry industry, particularly in the wake of the government’s plan to promote maize for ethanol in a big way.

“Addressing the rising demand for maize in both livestock feed and other industries presents two options: importing maize or increasing domestic production. However, significant short-term increases in domestic output are deemed improbable. Therefore, importing maize from other countries emerges as the most viable solution to meet the immediate demand,” the association stated in its memorandum to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

Ethanol’s growing thirst for maize has also pushed prices skyward, posing a major challenge for Indian poultry farmers. With maize prices hovering around Rs 22-23 per kg across India, poultry farmers are grappling with unsustainable costs. The burden is expected to intensify further by February 2024, which may adversely impact the poultry industry.

A memorandum to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, India, Interaction, Live Stock

Tunas alone contributing an estimated annual value of trade of US$41 billion in 2018.

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, GoI is organizing the 19th Working Party on Data Collection and Statistics (WPDCS19) of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) from 28th November to 2nd December 2023. The meeting inaugurated at Hotel St. Regis, Mumbai, Maharashtra.

This is an important meeting organized by the IOTC and hosted by Department of Fisheries, GoI, which will bring together the renowned Scientists and Experts in the field of Tuna fisheries from all around the world.  Joint Secretary, Dept. of Fisheries, GoI, Neetu Kumari Prasad and Commissioner of Fisheries, Govt of Maharashtra, Atul Patne was also present during the event.

Tunas and other large pelagic species, such as billfishes, sharks, and rays, hold immense economic significance, with tunas alone contributing an estimated annual value of trade of US$41 billion (in 2018). The international scope of these species necessitates collaborative efforts for improved management and conservation, given their susceptibility to overfishing by multinational fisheries.

There were participants from countries namely, Indonesia, France, Spain, other countries of the European Union (EU), Seychelles, Tanzania, Iran, Thailand, Japan, Sri Lanka, Oman and India attending the meeting in person. Besides, many participants from various other countries, IOTC and scientific organizations are attending the meeting in Virtual Mode as well.

The scientist will brainstorm and analyse the existing scientific methods adopted by various countries in data collection, compilation, and reporting to IOTC for the purpose of resource assessments and will come out with advanced and simplified methods of data collection and statistics in the Indian Ocean Region. This meeting will be followed by the main Scientific Committee meeting of the IOTC to be held at the same venue during 4th – 8th December 2023 which will consider the recommendations of the WPDCS and various other working parties for scientific recommendations relating to sustainable management of tuna and tuna like species in the Indian Ocean. 

Tunas alone contributing an estimated annual value

AgroPolicy, Animal Health, Finance, India, Live Stock

The fund aims to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels, focusing on low- and middle-income countries.

The G20 Pandemic Fund has approved the $25 million proposal submitted by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India on “Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response”. Established under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, the Pandemic Fund finances critical investments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels, focusing on low- and middle-income countries.

The Pandemic Fund received around 350 Expressions of Interest (EoI) and 180 full proposals in the first call with grant requests totalling more than $2.5 billion against an envelope of only $338 million. The Pandemic Fund’s Governing Board has approved 19 grants under its first round of funding allocations aimed to boost resilience to future pandemics in 37 countries across six regions on 20th July 2023.

The major interventions under the proposal are strengthening and integrating disease surveillance and early warning system, upgrading, and expanding the laboratory network, improving the inter-operable data systems and building capacity for data analytics for risk analysis and risk communication, strengthening health security for transboundary animal diseases and India’s role in regional cooperation through cross border collaboration.

The Pandemic Fund will not only bring additional, dedicated resources for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. It will also incentivize increased investments, enhance coordination among partners, and serve as a platform for advocacy. The impact of the project would be to reduce the risk that a pathogen will emerge from animals (domesticated and wildlife) to be transmitted into the human population endangering the health, nutritional security, and livelihoods of vulnerable populations. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the lead implementing entity with The World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The fund aims to strengthen pandemic prevention,

AgroPolicy, Animal Health, Finance, India, Live Stock, Schemes - Govt

Scheme to act as a key enabler and risk mitigation measure for lending institutions and enabling collateral free funding to livestock sector.

Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing the Credit Guarantee Scheme under Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) to strengthen credit delivery system and facilitate smooth flow of credit to the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) engaged in Livestock sector without hassles of collateral security. For operationalizing the scheme, DAHD has established a Credit Guarantee fund Trust of Rs 750.00 crores, which will provide credit guarantee coverage up to 25 per cent of the credit facilities extended to the MSMEs by the eligible lending institutions.

The credit guarantee scheme facilitates access to finance for un-served and under-served livestock sector, making availability of financial assistance from lenders to mainly first-generation entrepreneurs and under privileged section of society, who lack collateral security for supporting their ventures.

The main objective of the Credit Guarantee Scheme is that the lender should give importance to project viability and secure the credit facility purely on the basis primary security of the assets financed.

The establishment of credit guarantee fund trust was approved under the Prime Minister’s AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package of Rs.15000 crores“ Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund” (AHIDF) for incentivizing investments by individual entrepreneurs, private companies, MSMEs, Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) and Section 8 companies to establish (i) the dairy processing and value addition infrastructure, (ii) meat processing and value addition infrastructure, (iii) Animal Feed Plant, (iv) Breed Improvement technology and Breed Multiplication Farm (v) Animal Waste to Wealth Management (Agri Waste Management) and (vi) Setting up of Veterinary Vaccine and Drugs Manufacturing facilities.

One of the key features of the AHIDF scheme is the establishment of a Credit Guarantee Fund Trust of Rs. 750.00 Crores. DAHD has formed a trust with NABSanrakshan Trustee Company Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NABARD for the establishment of a Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for extending the credit guarantee to Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises under AHIDF scheme. This fund trust established in March 2021 is the Nation’s first ever fund trust under Credit guarantee scheme of AHIDF in the agriculture and Animal Husbandry sector and is a path-breaking initiative taken by DAHD which would exponentially increase the number of MSME units getting benefits of AHIDF scheme and strengthen the ecosystem for the collateral-free credit from the banks.

The credit guarantee portal has been developed as a rule based B2B portal and implemented the enrolment of eligible lending institutions under Credit Guarantee Scheme, issuance/renewal of credit guarantee Cover and settlement of claims.

Notably, the initiative of credit guarantee scheme taken by DAHD is expected to greatly increase the participation of MSMEs engaged in livestock sector leading to increased flow of credit to the sector and strengthen the MSMEs to boost the overall rural economy through strengthening the Livestock sector which is of one of the most potential sectors seeking development.

Scheme to act as a key enabler

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy

The webinar was intended to open a forum to initiate a dialogue about the crucial role of fisheries cooperatives in bringing out prosperity in the lives of fish farmers.

The Department of Fisheries (DoF), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal husbandry & Dairying, organized a webinar on “Potential & Role of Fisheries Cooperatives”. This was the 14th webinar organized by the department in an effort to celebrate the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, marking 75 years of India’s independence.

The event was presided over by Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Department of Fisheries (DoF), Government of India (GOI) along with Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries), Dr J Balaji, Joint Secretary (Marine Fisheries) along with other officials of the Department. This webinar was intended to open a forum to initiate a dialogue about the crucial role of fisheries cooperatives in bringing out prosperity in the lives of fish farmers, leading towards holistic sectoral development. 

More than 100 participants including expert panellists, fishers, farmers, entrepreneurs, members of fisheries cooperative societies, fisheries officials of different States/UTs, faculties from State Agriculture, Veterinary and Fisheries universities, Fisheries cooperative officers, Scientists, students and other stakeholders from the fisheries value-chain across the country attended the webinar.

Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Fisheries said, “With the increased production and productivity in the Indian fisheries sector, the Government has been focusing more on establishing cooperatives to enable small-scale fishers to avail support for institutional credit, quality inputs, transportation, logistic etc. through collectivization”.

Sagar Mehra shared his views on the significance of institutionalizing fisheries cooperatives in India. He also mentioned that fisheries being a sunrise sector, there is a need to learn from the best practices from the dairy, agriculture industries and try to use the learnings for developing cooperatives in the fisheries sector.

Sandeep Kumar Nayak, Director General, NCP; Dr. K.P. Rajan, Director, DNS Regional Institute of Cooperative Management, Patna; Dr. S. Noorjahan Beevi, Additional Director of Fisheries, Tamil Nadu and Mr. Anil Rana, Board of Director, AgriOrganic Producer Company Ltd, Una, HP shared their valuable thoughts during the expert panel sessions. Towards the end, the forum was open for interactive discussion with a wide range of questions and answers from all participants.

The webinar was intended to open a

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy

The workshop was attended by eight EAS member countries, four knowledge partners, officials of the Department of Fisheries

Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India and the Government of Singapore organised a virtual East Asia Summit (EAS) Workshop on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing yesterday co-chaired by India and Singapore Food Agency (SFA). Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Department of Fisheries (DoF), Government of India gave the keynote address. The workshop was attended by eight EAS member countries, four knowledge partners, officials of the Department of Fisheries, the Government of India, Fisheries officials of different States/UTs and other invitees.

In his inaugural address, Swain highlighted the urgent call for combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Swain shared some of India’s efforts and initiatives to combat IUU fishing especially through working with coastal fishing communities.

The workshop began with the opening session led by India and chaired by Joint Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India, Dr J Balaji. During the welcome address, Dr J Balaji introduced the theme of the workshop and welcomed all the esteemed delegates, panellists and participants in the Workshop from the countries of Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea along with India and Singapore. In his opening remarks to the EAS IUU Workshop, the CEO of the Singapore Food Agency highlighted the importance of combating IUU fishing which has negatively impacted the livelihood and food security of the coastal fishing communities.

Technical Session 1 focussed on regional collaborations in combating IUU fishing and was Chaired by Singapore Food Agency. The knowledge partners, namely, the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organization (BOBPIGO), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shared the regional efforts and the groundbreaking and continuous efforts being taken to combat IUU fishing. During Technical Session 2, representatives from each participating country shared their national success stories, experience gained and measures being taken up by the respective country to curb IUU fishing.

After sessions and discussions, the webinar concluded with closing remarks by Geetika Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, GoI.

The workshop was attended by eight EAS

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, Animal Health

According to the experts, intensification and diversification has added to the risk factors of the spread of new and emerging aquatic diseases in aquaculture

Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India organised a webinar on National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases: A Step towards Establishing Disease Governance System in India. The event was attended by more than 150 participants including officials of the Department of Fisheries, ICAR institutes, GoI and fisheries officials of different States/UTs, faculties from state agriculture, veterinary and fisheries universities, entrepreneurs, scientists, farmers, hatchery owners, students and stakeholders from aquaculture industry across the country.

The welcome address was given by IA Siddiqui, Fisheries Development Commissioner, DoF along with the introduction of the theme of the webinar and the distinguished panellists Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries); Dr Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries Science), ICAR, New Delhi; Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor (Research and Patents), Nitte University, Mangaluru; Dr AG Ponniah, Former Emeritus Scientist and Former Discipline Leader, WorldFish Centre, Malaysia, Dr KK Lal, Director, ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow; Dr Neeraj Sood, Principal Scientist ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow; V Balasubramaniam, General Secretary, Prawn Farmers’ Federation of India, Bengaluru and other participants.

Shri Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries), in his opening remarks mentioned that aquaculture production through intensification and diversification has added to the risk factors of spread of new and emerging aquatic diseases in aquaculture.

During the technical session, Dr Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries Science), ICAR, New Delhi, set the context for the webinar and stated that India is a vast country with state divergent levels of capabilities and fisheries priorities hence surveillance programme for monitoring and controlling spread of diseases of national and international concern has become a primary requirement for effective health management and ultimately for sustainable aquaculture.

Dr Jena further stated that the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) of India has made its own example in establishing a coordinated surveillance programme for aquaculture.

Dr Neeraj Sood, Principal Scientist ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow delivered a detailed presentation on NSPAAD along with the status of the project in the country and the future aims of the project.

Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor, Nitte University, Mangaluru focussed on strategising aquatic animal health management based on disease surveillance through a knowledge filled session. Dr AG Ponniah, Former Emeritus Scientist and Former Discipline Leader, World Fish Centre, Malaysia delivered an informative session on emergency response in case of detection of exotic aquatic diseases and V Balasubramaniam, General Secretary, Prawn Farmers’ Federation of India briefed about the industrial approach and the need of fisheries and aquaculture sector for disease surveillance in shrimp aquaculture.

The webinar concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr SK Dwivedi, Assistant Commissioner, DoF.

According to the experts, intensification and diversification