Hyderabad: The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) will organise a fisheries cooperative workshop in Hyderabad on May 15 to discuss strategies for strengthening cooperatives and accelerating growth in India’s fisheries sector.
The workshop, organised under the Department of Fisheries in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, will bring together policymakers, financial institutions, cooperative leaders and fisheries experts from across the country.
Officials said the fisheries cooperative workshop aimed to promote inclusive growth in the sector, which supports nearly 30 million livelihoods and has recorded an annual growth rate of around 9 per cent.
Senior officials scheduled to address the gathering 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.
Fisheries cooperative workshop to focus on expansion plan
A key focus of the discussions will be the proposed action plan to establish 6,000 new fisheries cooperative societies and strengthen 5,500 existing societies between 2024-25 and 2028-29.
The initiative will be implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY).
The deliberations will include topics such as formation of new cooperatives, strengthening of existing societies, credit linkages, digital marketing platforms and diversification in marine fisheries.
Officials said opportunities in inland fisheries, Himalayan regions and North Eastern States would also be discussed during the workshop.
Representatives from all States and Union Territories, along with organisations including NABARD, NCDC, NAFED, SFAC, NDDB, ICAR-CMFRI and ICAR-CIFT, are expected to participate.
The workshop has been planned in line with the “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” vision to strengthen the cooperative movement and support India’s Blue Economy expansion.