Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, has organized a webinar on “Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension for Sustainable Techno-organizational Transformation of Fishers and Fish Farmers” on 30^th September, 2021 under the chairmanship of Shri Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India as a part of “Azadi ka Amrit Mohatsav”. Shri Swain in his inaugural address highlighted briefly on India’s revolution and development on extension activities since independence. He informed the gathering that the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, is organizing series of webinar on the eve of 75 years of Independence. Today’s webinar focused on the Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension for Sustainable Techno-organizational Transformation of Fishers and Fish Farmers. Shri Swain, Secretary, DoF, GOI highlighted the contribution of fresh water aquaculture towards fish production of the country. He briefly explained on PMMSY and the sub component supported under PMMSY for Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension for Sustainable Techno-organizational transformation of Fisheries and Fish Farmers in the country.

Shri Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Department of Fisheries (DoF), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries) and Dr. J. Balaji, Joint Secretary (Marine Fisheries) addressed the webinar. Other officials of Department of Fisheries, GoI and fisheries officials of States/UTs, Faculty from Sate Agriculture Universities, State Animal and Fisheries Universities, entrepreneurs, farmers and hatchery owners across the country, representative from aquaculture Industry have participated in the webinar.

Shri Sagar Mehra, JS (IF) briefly highlighted the Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension for Sustainable Techno-organizational Transformation of Fishers and Fish Farmers. He also highlighted the importance of extension knowledge, capacity, connectivity technology and achieving the targets. The extension divisions are available in ICAR Institutes, State Universities, MPEDA, NFDB but the extension services is not available in fishery Sector and try to our best level for providing the information through radio, television, social media, newspaper to the end users. Further, Shri Mehra added that financial assistance supported to the institutions, farmers and supporting technology like Biofloc, RAS, FADS, FIDF to entrepreneurs for Transformation of Fishers and Fish Farmers under PMMSY. Dr. J. Balaji in his address highlighted the problems faced by the farmers due to lack of knowledge, very less information on extension services in the fishery sector.

Dr. S.N Ojha, Principal Scientist, Head of Department, Fisheries Economics, Extension and Statistics Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai made a presentation in details on Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension for Sustainable Techno-organizational Transformation of Fishers and Fish Farmers. In his presentation he highlighted the importance of Extension Activities, Project Formulation, Cluster-based Business Organisational Development, Extension Research for hypothetical & factual truth, structural challenges, Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension System (at the State, District, Block, Fish Farmers and Fishers levels), Aqua-Chambers of Commerce, and Way forward to improve the penetration and participation of Extension System in the sector with the help of para-extension, ICT, GIS, and AI, social entrepreneurship, FPO/Cs, etc.

Further, he explained about the PMMSY scheme and importance of extension specialist proficiency, base line survey and participatory and management System, Post-Harvest Management, Mobilizing, Law & Finance and Aquaculture IT/MIS etc. in the fishery sector. 

After presentation, a fruitful interaction with the fish farmers, entrepreneurs, hatchery owners, Scientists and faculty of universities was taken up. Sh. I.A. Siddiqui, FDC (i/c) lead the discussion with the stakeholder participated. Stakeholders raised issues like information about Pearl Culture, sharing the knowledge from Fishers and Fish Farmers to Government and Private extension services etc.

Shri I. A. Siddiqui, Fisheries Development Commissioner (FDC), DoF made welcome addresses and moderated the webinar. 

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