Fisheries and Aquaculture comprise an important sector of food production in India, contributing sizably to the food basket. It not only ensures nutritional security among the population but also significantly contributes to the agricultural exports and provides gainful employment and livelihood support to more than 14 million people engaged in different fisheries activities.
What is Blue Revolution?
The concept of rapid increase in the production of fish and marine product through package programme is called as blue revolution. It was launched in India during the seventh Five-year plan (1985-1990) when the Central Government sponsored the Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA).
The term blue revolution can also be defined as the remarkable emergence of aquaculture as an important and highly productive agricultural activity. Aquaculture refers to all forms of active culturing of aquatic animals and plants, occurring in marine, brackish, or fresh waters.
The Blue Revolution, first began in China where fishing is an ancient activity.
Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri and Dr. Arun Krishnsnan are known as Father of Blue revolution in India.
What are the objectives of Blue Revolution?
To increase the overall fish production in a responsible and sustainable manner for economic prosperity
To modernize the fisheries with special focus on new technologies
To ensure food and nutritional security
To generate employment and export earnings
To ensure inclusive development and empower fishers and aquaculture farmers
Unutilized potential in fisheries sector
It is a matter of great concern that India is able to exploit only a fraction of the aquaculture potential available to it.
India uses only about 40% of the available ponds, tanks and other water bodies for freshwater aquaculture and 15% of total potential of brackish water resources.
What is the vision of Blue Revolution?
Blue Revolution, the Neel Kranti Mission has the vision to achieve economic prosperity of the country and the fishers and fish farmers as well as contribute towards food and nutritional security through full potential utilization of water resources for fisheries development in a sustainable manner, keeping in view the bio-security and environmental concerns.
Blue Revolution 2.0/ Neel Kranti Mission
Duration and outlay
The restructured Plan Scheme on Blue Revolution – Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries had been approved at a total central outlay of Rs 3000 crore for implementation during a period of five years (2015-16 to 2019-20).
The Program has certain objectives which includes:
Fully tapping the total fish potential of the country, both in the inland and the 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 e-commerce and other technologies and global best innovations.
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.
What are the components of Blue Revolution?
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has restructured the scheme by merging all the ongoing schemes under an umbrella of Blue Revolution. The restructured scheme provides focused development and management of fisheries, covering inland fisheries, aquaculture, marine fisheries including deep sea fishing, mariculture and all activities undertaken by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).
The Blue Revolution scheme has the following components:
National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and its activities
Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture
Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post-Harvest Operations
Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector
Institutional Arrangement for Fisheries Sector
Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions
National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen
