2019 – Posted in: RSTV

BLUE REVOLUTION

In News:

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Friday inaugurated the fifth edition of the Aqua Aquaria India in Hyderabad.
This event held every year and the theme is “Taking blue revolution to India’s hinterland”.

The blue revolution spot of the government’s efforts to promote fishing as an alit activity for farmers in order to double their incomes. The blue revolution also refers to explosive growth in the aquaculture industry and much like a green revolution it is a huge focus area for the Indian government. As part of its efforts to raise output and exports, and promote its sustainable aquaculture, the government has even constituted an independent Ministry officialise.

The Union budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman this year, also mentions the blue revolution. As considered by In-depth, how the blue revolution will help India recognise its aquaculture potential and the challenges needs to overcome this endeavour.

While the Government makes a strong push to the countries Fisheries sector, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has called for the development of aquaculture. He reiterated that India has a huge potential for growth fisheries and aquaculture which could become a push to the economic development and the enhancement to the farmer’s income.

Some important findings

India is the second-largest fish producer in the world and 4th largest exporter in the world.
Fish contributes 1.0% to the country’s GDP and about 5.7% to the agriculture GDP.
Fish constitutes about 10% of the total exports and almost 20% of agriculture exports in 2017-18.
This sector also provides employment opportunities to more than 14.5 million peoples residing in remote villages.

It is a matter of great concern that India is able to exploit only some fraction of aquaculture potential available to it. India uses only 40% of the water available from ponds, tanks, and other water bodies utilised for freshwater aquaculture. And 15% of the total potential of brackish water resources. There is immense potential for the development of agriculture which has taken roots only in recent years with the culture of miseries. Aquaculture can play a huge role in socio-economic development.

At the same time President also warned about

Prevention of reckless exploitation of limited resources
Stop exploitation of endangered marine species
Ban discharge of plastics and other wastes into water bodies that has devastating consequences for aquatic life
Need to respond to climate changes challenges for sustainable aquaculture
Naidu also laid stress on promotion, regulation and monitoring of responsible fishing practices. He urged authorities to ensure economic benefits on aquaculture.
The development of fisheries has been a key to the government’s target to double farmer’s income by 2022. In the latest budget, the government allocated an estimated 3,737 crores rupees for newly carved out fisheries and animal husbandries.
The aquaculture industry has been growing at an average of 9% per year and India is one of the fastest growers in this industry but like much of the world India’s fisheries sector faces a challenge of sustainability.

What is the Blue Revolution?

The rapid increase in the production of fish and marine products through a package programme is known as the Blue Revolution. It was launched in India during the 7th five-year plan that went from 1985-1990.

It has brought improvement in aquaculture by adopting new techniques of fish breeding, fish rearing, fish marketing, and fish export. Fishing is the primary source of livelihood for several communities in India and the country is the world’s second-largest fish producer and its exports worth more than 47,000 crores rupees.

Fisheries are India’s single largest agriculture export with a growth rate of 6% to 10% in the last 5 years. In comparison the growth rate of the farm sector is around 2.5%. But India’s fisheries are facing the challenge of sustainability much like the rest of the world. The food and agriculture organisation points out that nearly 90% of the global marine fish stocks have either been fully exploited or over-fished or depleted to an extent that recovery may not be biologically possible.

Objectives of the Blue Revolution

Fully tapping the total fish potential of the country both in the inland and marine sector and triple production by 2020.
Transforming the fisheries sector as a modern industry with special focus on new technologies and processes doubling the income of fishers and fish farmers with special focus on increasing productivity and better post harvest marketing infrastructure including ecommerce and other global best invasions.
Ensuring inclusive participation of fishers and fish farmers in the income enhancement
Tripling export earnings by 2020 with focus on benefits flow to fishers and fish farmers
Enhancing food and nutritional security of the country.

Efforts made by the Government over the years to improve the fisheries sector

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announced plans to launch the Matsay Sampada Yojana in the Modi Government’s first budget of the second term. The scheme is aimed to termed India into a hotspot for fish and aquatic products
Appropriate policy, marketing and infrastructure support
With this scheme, the government intends to bring all fishermen under farmer social welfare program
The new scheme has been introduced under the newly established department of Fisheries announced by the Government in its interim budget this year.
The Government has allocated 804.75 crores rupees for the fisheries sector in the current fiscal
Its aim is to augment fish production to achieve its target of 15 million tonnes by 2020 under the blue revolution and raise it to 20 million tonnes by 2022-23.

Creating a separate department for fisheries is a significant step as fishing remains the primary source of livelihood for several communities. The Indian Fisheries sector which produced only 60,000 tonnes of fish fifty years ago produces 4.7 million tonnes including 1.6 million tonnes of freshwater aquaculture today. India recorded an annual average growth of 14.8% in production of fish and fish products in the last decade as compared to the Global average of 7.5% in the same period. The 232 billion US Dollars fish and fish related products global industry is expanding at a rate of 6% annually and India has huge potential to meet this ever-increasing demand. India exported fish worth 45,000 crores rupees in 2017-18 and has the potential to scale out this figure to 4,50,000 crores rupees.

On the domestic front, India’s long coast line has the potential to strengthen the economy particularly through the exploitation of the blue revolution. Another aspect of the blue revolution is the goal of improving the income of the country’s aquaculture workers and fishers. The Government has set the goal of doubling the income of all farmers by 2022 and the Blue Revolution programme can play an important role in that effort.

Worldwide aquaculture production has reached 50 million times up from 2 million in 1950. This impressive development has been driven by the combination of population growth rising in incomes and urbanisation. It is also then facilitated by a strong expansion of fish products and more efficient distribution. Aquaculture provides a valuable source of nutrition and employment to the people throughout the world. Fisheries in aquaculture provide 4.3 billion peoples with a 15% of their annual income enhancement.

Fish and street foods are one of the most treated food commodities. Over 50% of the trade originates in developing country. The Blue Revolution first began in China where fishing is an ancient activity. China counts for around two-thirds of aquaculture production worldwide. Asian countries contribute over 90% to aquaculture worldwide. China itself contributes more than 70%. Currently the USA is the largest market for Indian seafood products with a share of 26.4% in terms of India’s exports of marine products followed by South-east Asian countries 25.71% and European Union nations 20.08%. The top ten species of fish caught with aquaculture include oysters, salmons, trouts, shrimps, and prawns. Freshwater fish are also cultivated in North America and Europe.

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