Besides boosting production of oil seeds and pulses, the agriculture ministry would give major focus to fisheries sector development, in order to provide farmers with additional income sources.
Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, during his first press conference after taking charge of the ministry again under the new government, had indicated that a major push would be given to the development of inland fisheries and aquaculture as marine fish production has already reached saturation point, reports Food&BeverageNews.
"The potential of inland fisheries has been exploited only up to 50%, we see a great opportunity in the expansion of the sector," Pawar had said at the press meet.
According to Food&BeverageNews, besides the agriculture ministry, the rural development ministry is also planning to promote fisheries through technical collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through programmes such as National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Under NREGA, a large number of water bodies have been created across rural India. The rural development ministry plans to use these water bodies for fisheries development for augmenting the income of the rural poor.
Rural Aquaculture: New Indian Government Go Inland
INDIA - The new government is planning to give a major thrust to the fisheries sector, particularly inland fisheries.
