Pune, 7 Dec 2025

The Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM) successfully concluded a three-day Advanced Capacity-Building Programme on Cooperative Society Governance and Management for newly registered aqua farmer cooperative societies. The programme was held during 3 to 5 December 2025, at VAMNICOM, Pune.

A total of 36 officers and aquaculture cooperative farmers participated, representing 10 aquaculture cooperatives from the coastal states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and West Bengal. The delegation was led by Ms. Daiahun Khonglam, Chief Executive Officer, National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA), Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.

The programme integrated expert-led classroom sessions, interactive discussions, and specialized field visits to strengthen governance and management practices in emerging aqua cooperatives.

On December 4, 2025, participants undertook an educational exposure visit to the ICAR–Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, guided by Dr. Ankush Kamble, Senior Scientist, CIFE.

Key highlights of the exposure visit included:

• Interactions with leaders of the Versova and Vesava Fisheries Cooperative Societies
• Insights into cooperative operations, market linkages, and aquaculture value chains
• Visits to the Fish Museum, Aquaculture Complex, and Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) Unit at CIFE
• A technical session on “Cooperatives in Fisheries: Opportunities, Challenges and Governance Mechanisms”

The training was structured across three thematic pillars:

• Cooperative Governance & Sustainable Aquaculture Foundations
• Financial Literacy, Business Management & Digital Empowerment
• Market Linkages, Climate Resilience & Leadership Development

Participants also gained insights into cooperative bylaws and ongoing initiatives of the Ministry of Cooperation aimed at enhancing cooperative effectiveness nationwide.

The programme was organized under the guidance of Dr. Suva Kanta Mohanty, Director, VAMNICOM, with strategic support from Shri D. S. Dharmaraj, Registrar, who played a key role in enabling the initiative.

Dr. Amit Borkar, Assistant Professor and Programme Director, led the academic design and delivery of the programme and expressed gratitude to all VAMNICOM faculty members for their active engagement and support.

VAMNICOM’s Advanced Capacity-Building Programme marks a significant step toward enhancing governance standards, business capabilities, and sustainability practices among India’s emerging aqua farmer cooperatives. By equipping cooperative leaders with modern tools, best practices, and technical expertise, the initiative contributes to the Government of India’s broader mission of strengthening coastal communities and accelerating the growth of the nation’s aquaculture-driven Blue Economy.

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Harshal Akude/Parshuram Kor

 

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