Odisha Government inks pact with WorldFish to boost fisheries

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Tuesday signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with WorldFish, a global non-profit research organisation, for sustainable aquaculture operations through improved technology and farming systems.

This project will operate for a period of five years commencing July, 2016. The project cost comes around `22 crore which will be funded by the State Government.

"Odisha offers vast scope for development in fisheries sector and we look forward to an integrated development in collaboration with WorldFish," Fisheries Secretary Bishnu Sethi said after signing the MoA.

The MoA was singed between Sethi and Michael Phillips, programme leader, Aquaculture, WorldFish in presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat here. "We have been working in neighbouring Bangladesh for many years and have had great success in scaling up production with new technologies and training. We are honoured to be working with Odisha and look forward to bring some of that expertise to the State in the coming years," Phillips said.

Sethi said WorldFish will facilitate aquaculture operations through quality fish seed technology and farming systems. A long term goal will foster a sustainable aquaculture sector in which the private sector would be more willing to invest.

The partnership will also focus on improving the value chain and marketing of Odisha products, planning and management of existing resources as well as skill upgradation.

As the State has planned to double fish production in next five years, Sethi said WorldFish will play a crucial role in this direction.

The State has 6.76 lakh hectare (ha) of fresh water area which includes 1.25 lakh ha tanks/ponds, two lakhs ha of reservoirs, 1.80 lakh ha of lakes, swamps and jheels and 1.71 lakh ha of rivers and canals.

Apart from this, brackish water and marine resources are also available wherein shrimps and fish are produced, captured and marketed in and outside the State, Sethi said.

Fish production can be substantially augmented to meet the needs of both domestic and international markets, further supplementing the income generation of fish farmers of the State by judiciously harnessing these resources, he added.