National Fisheries Development Board to Host Cooperative Workshop in Hyderabad

Hyderabad will host a significant gathering of fisheries stakeholders on May 15 as the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) convenes a workshop focused on cooperative expansion and sectoral growth.

Organised by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the event will assemble policymakers, financial institutions, cooperative leaders and fisheries specialists from across India's states and union territories.

The fisheries sector currently sustains approximately 30 million livelihoods and has demonstrated resilience with an annual growth rate hovering around 9 per cent, officials noted. The workshop aims to advance inclusive development within this vital industry.

Senior Leadership to Address Workshop

Key speakers include Department of Fisheries Secretary Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Ministry of Cooperation Secretary Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, NFDB Chief Executive Dr. Bijay Kumar Behera and Telangana Agriculture and Cooperation Secretary K. Surendra Mohan.

Ambitious Expansion Targets

Central to the workshop's agenda will be deliberations on an action plan targeting the establishment of 6,000 new fisheries cooperative societies alongside strengthening initiatives for 5,500 existing societies during the 2024-25 to 2028-29 period.

This expansion will proceed under two flagship government schemes: the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY).

Key Discussion Areas

Workshop deliberations will span multiple dimensions including cooperative formation, institutional strengthening, credit linkages, digital marketing infrastructure and marine fisheries diversification. Participants will also examine growth prospects in inland fisheries, Himalayan regions and North Eastern States.

A broad coalition of organisations is expected to participate, including NABARD, NCDC, NAFED, SFAC, NDDB, ICAR-CMFRI and ICAR-CIFT, alongside representatives from all states and union territories.

The workshop aligns with the "Sahkar Se Samriddhi" vision, which seeks to reinvigorate India's cooperative movement and catalyse expansion of the nation's Blue Economy.