BHUBANESWAR: Leading aluminium producer Vedanta Aluminium has launched a pisciculture programme under its flagship watershed and livelihood initiative ‘Project Sangam’ in Lanjigarh. The initiative is aimed at creating alternative income opportunities for farmers and self-help group (SHG) members through scientific fish farming.
Implemented in collaboration with the Fisheries and Animal Husbandry department in Kalahandi, the initiative spans 32 water structures across five acre in 13 villages, benefitting 44 farmers and SHG members directly. It provides them with the resources, training and technical support needed to adopt pisciculture as a sustainable livelihood activity. The initiative is expected to generate an annual harvest of 20 tonnes of fish, significantly contributing to both local consumption and market supply, said officials from Vedanta.
Vedanta Alumina Business CEO Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya said, “The pisciculture initiative under Project Sangam supports income diversification for farmers while strengthening the rural economy and aligning with the state’s development vision.”
Apart from boosting fish production, Bhattacharyya said the initiative reinforces Odisha’s ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) programme by promoting fishery as a key livelihood source in Kalahandi. “By leveraging existing waterbodies and integrating modern pisciculture practices, the project empowers farmers to unlock new income streams and build resilience against seasonal fluctuations, fostering long-term economic stability,” he said.