History and role of fisheries extension in fisheries development...(Development of Fisheries Technology in India)

 

Development of Fisheries Technology in India

Early Initiatives

• 1928 Royal Commission on Agriculture
• Noted lack of development in the fishing industry.
• Recommended that the utility of Departments should not be judged solely on revenue.

Key Developments

1. Grow More Food Campaign (GMFC) - 1940
• Established training centers in:
• Barrackpore
• Calcutta
• Mandapam (1945)
• Fisheries experiment station set up at Barrackpore in 1947, later became CIFRI.
2. First All India Fisheries Conference - 1948
• Recognized the importance of the fishing industry.
• Focused on developing the fisheries industry and suggested subsidizing capital expenditure on mechanisms.
3. All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) - 1971
• Initiated for composite carp culture across different macroclimatic zones.
4. AICRP on Air Breathing Fish Culture - 1971
• Launched in states like West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam.
• Aimed to evolve technology for freshwater air-breathing fish culture.
5. Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) - 1972
• Established to enhance fisheries production and promote seafood exports.

Grassroots Initiatives

• Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) - 1974
• District-level institutions for vocational training in agriculture and allied fields.
• First KVK started in Pondicherry.
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC) - 1975
• Launched the Rural Aquaculture Project to demonstrate carp culture and seed production in 75 villages in West Bengal and Orissa.
• Operational Research Project (ORP) - 1974-75
• Aimed to disseminate proven technology in clusters of villages.
• Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA) - 1974-75
• Promoted fish culture as an employment generation alternative for rural poor.

Financial and Technological Support

• Inland Fisheries Project - 1979
• Aided by the World Bank, provided credit for modern fish seed hatcheries.
• Resulted in 62 hatcheries in North India.
• Lab to Land Project - 1979
• Transferred technology from research labs to farmers’ fields to improve economic conditions.
• Brackishwater Fish Farmers Development Agencies (BFFDA) - 1985-90
• Utilized brackishwater resources for fish and shrimp culture.

Recent Programs

• Institute Village Linkage Programme (IVLP) - 1996
• Assessed and refined technology based on local constraints.
• Provided suitable technology packages for farmers.
• Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC)
• Aimed to deliver products, information, and services to farmers and entrepreneurs.
• Jai Vigyan Mission - 2000
• Focused on food and nutritional security through enhanced fisheries productivity in tribal, backward, and hilly areas, currently active in Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Assam.