Assam has set the target of becoming self-sufficient in fish production by 2026. Apart from the availability of quality fish seeds, fish farmers need adequate insurance coverage against losses suffered by them during multiple waves of floods in the state to stay engaged in fish production and achieve their goal. With nearly 80% of the state population consuming fish, the demand for fish is bound to increase in the coming years. Fish production in the state needs to increase proportionately to prevent cash outflow due to fish supplies from other states. Outcomes of the pilot project on Aquaculture Crop Insurance initiated by the National Fisheries Development Board in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha will be keenly watched for exploring the scope of articulating an umbrella insurance scheme for three lakh fish farmers in the state.
The insurance cover for freshwater aquaculture and brackish water aquaculture under this pilot project provides basic insurance cover for yield losses due to non-preventable risks such as summer kill, pollution, poisoning, riot and strike, malicious acts of third parties, storm, cyclone, flood, inundation, and other natural calamities, etc. The exclusion of Assam from the project is baffling, as apart from flood and erosion yield loss due to miscreants, poisoning incidents are also reported in many areas of the state.
Conservation of the ecosystems of rivers, beels, oxbow lakes, and wetlands besides household ponds is also vital for the sustainability of the growth in fish production. Rampant sand mining and stone quarrying in hills where rivers originate have been destroying the ecosystem of rivers, which has adversely affected the livelihoods of many fish farmers and fishermen. An increase in local fish production has created hopes of generating new livelihood opportunities, but mitigating the risks of yield loss is crucial to building resilience in fish farming.
The Central Government attributes the increase in fish production to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The government claims that since the launch of PMMSY in 2020–21, the overall fish production in the country has shown an increasing trend, increasing to 162.48 lakh tonnes in 2021–22 from 141.64 lakh tonnes in 2019-20. Currently, India is the third largest fish producing country, second largest in aquaculture production and contributes to about 8% of the global fish production.
Area expansion, diversification of species and genetic improvement, intensification of aquaculture through technology, ensuring supply of quality and affordable seed and feed to fish farmers, robust aquatic health management, promotion of scientific methods and innovations in fisheries; infusion of modern technologies like Re-Circulatory Aquaculture Systems, Biofloc, cage cultures, and promotion of mariculture are the measures under PMMSY, which has boosted fish production across the country.
The Central Government has informed the parliament that the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, established under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, has launched an interactive mobile app, Treat My Fish, for providing specific advisory services to the fish farmers for different fish diseases in freshwater aquaculture. The innovative app has a feature called “Report a Disease,” using which the farmer can submit disease related information, including photos, for experts to analyse and provide suggestions.
Under PMMSY, the Central Government has also launched the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD)-Phase-II with major emphasis on strengthening the farmer-based disease surveillance system, so that disease cases are reported at once, investigated, and scientific support is provided to the fish farmers. Assam fish farmers getting easy access to these support systems will help them overcome challenges due to economic losses on account of fish diseases.
The government has found that the formation of fishery cooperatives has huge potential for developing the fishery business as it helps in focusing on community management, generating employment, increasing bargaining power, and increasing the income of the fish farmers, thus, improving their socio-economic status. It has also identified challenges faced in the running of these fishery cooperatives, such as the non-availability of good post-harvest infrastructure such as cold storage, processing, and packaging; a lack of market access, competition from the private sector; a lack of access to institutional finance, poor financial health, lack of knowledge on new fishing and post-harvest technologies, etc.
Addressing these challenges requires more funding, judicious and timely utilization of funds released by the Central Government, and the states releasing their matching shares in time. Building awareness on various schemes and projects under which fish farmers and those engaged in allied activities participate is key to successful implementation.
Fish farmers acquiring digital financial literacy and undergoing skill training, with training on technology application getting equal attention, are the keys to achieving desired results under various schemes and programs aimed at boosting fish production. Rising unemployment and non-remunerative agriculture are pushing lakhs of youth to migrate outside the north-eastern region in search of a livelihood, mostly as unskilled workers. Harnessing the potential of fish farming and building the resilience of fish farmers can generate huge livelihood opportunities and reverse the trend.