As part of Centre’s ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’, the ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute will focus on popularising its cutting edge technologies, including cage fish farming and seaweed cultivation, to increase mariculture production.
Scientists of the institute started a two-week-long outreach programme to directly engage with fish farmers and fishermen across the country under the campaign.
The community will be made aware of a range of technologies and the prospects of seaweed farming and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), said Grinson George, Director of CMFRI. The institute envisions increased productivity with a target of 25 lakh tonnes of fish production from mariculture by 2047 against the current estimate of a meagre 1.5 lakh tonnes. To a great extent, effective adoption of innovative technologies will help to achieve this target, he said.
Nation-wide campaign
CMFRI scientists will visit villages, demonstrating and explaining advanced practices such as cage fish farming, mussel farming, oyster farming, seaweed cultivation, innovative fish breeding technologies and scientific coastal aquaculture. The initiative is expected to set the stage for wider adoption of these technologies and address on-farm challenges.
‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ is a nationwide campaign by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Indian Council of Agricultural Research in association with State governments.
In Kerala, CMFRI’s outreach teams, comprising 36 scientists, will visit all districts collaborating closely with the respective KVKs. Similarly, all the centres of the Institute located in various coastal States will take part in the campaign in respective regions.
Beyond technology awareness, the CMFRI teams will also collect crucial feedback, remarks, and responses from the farming and fishing communities to understand the specific issues and challenges faced by farmers. The scientists will listen to the issues of the stakeholders and foster a strong connection with them, he added.
Published on May 29, 2025