23-September-2023: SISTA360, Dept of Fisheries Sanctioned 732 Artificial Reef Units, NAFED's 66th Annual General Meeting

23 September 2023

• SISTA360 to be Launched by Union Minister Parshottam Rupala on Sept 25

  A groundbreaking seminar titled Sustainable Aquaculture: India’s Potential to be the Global Leader is set to take place on September 25, 2023, in New Delhi. Parshottam Rupala, the Ministry of Fisheries, who has been invited as the chief guest, will be launching SISTA360- A first-of-its-kind digital platform for aquaculture solutions. NK Premachandran, Member of Parliament, and the guest of honour at the event will deliver the keynote address. India’s aquaculture sector has witnessed a remarkable transformation over the past decade, driven by visionary leadership and a steadfast commitment to sustainability. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a second ‘Blue Revolution’ in 2014 initiated a wave of policy reforms and prioritized the sector’s growth. Notable initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023 represent significant milestones in this journey.

• 70% Farmers From 8 Countries See Large Impacts of Climate Change on their Farms: Bayer CropScience’s Farmer Voice Survey

  On average farmers estimate that their incomes had reduced by 15.7% due to climate change in the past two years. One in six farmers even identifies income losses of over 25% during this period. According to Bayer CropScience's Farmer Voice Survey, 71% of farmers are facing a large impact of climate change, and even more are worried about the impact this will have in the future. Moreover, 73% have experienced increasing pest and disease pressure. To conduct the “Farmer Voice”, the life science company Bayer commissioned an agency to independently interview 800 farmers globally, representing farmsClimate large and small from Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States in equal numbers.

• $2 Million Grant to Boost Smallholder Farmers’ Incomes and Resilience: Walmart Foundation supports Grameen Foundation’s Launch of MANDI-II in Eastern UP and West Bengal

  Grameen Foundation on Friday, September 22, announced that it will help smallholder farmers by launching the second phase of the Market Access eNabled by Digital Innovation in India (MANDI) project, made possible by a $2 million grant from the Walmart Foundation. MANDI-II will aim to address challenges faced by smallholder farmers, especially women, in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal by building the capacities of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). During the first phase of the MANDI project, also supported by the Walmart Foundation, Grameen Foundation helped build the capacity of 40 FPOs in Eastern Uttar Pradesh by facilitating market linkages, providing access to finance, data and technology and notably increasing women shareholder participation.

• Dept of Fisheries Sanctioned 732 Artificial Reef Units to Revive Coastal Fisheries

  Department of Fisheries has given the green light to 732 artificial reef units across 10 coastal states to promote sustainable practices in India's coastal regions. This initiative comes as part of the "Integrated Modern Coastal Fishing Villages" sub-activity under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), with a total investment of Rs 126 crore. The projects are being executed with the technical expertise of the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) and the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). Notably, all coastal states have completed the site selection process, with Kerala and Maharashtra advancing to the tendering phase for project execution. It is anticipated that all these projects will reach completion by January 2024.

• NAFED's 66th Annual General Meeting Dignified the Profits Earned During FY22-23

  The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) organized its 66th Annual General Meeting on September 22, 2023, at NCUI Auditorium, New Delhi. During the meeting, Dr Bijender Singh, Chairman, NAFED, highlighted the net profit of Rs 264.51 crore earned during the FY 2022-2023. During his keynote address, Ritesh Chauhan, IAS, MD NAFED, shared his contentment of how Amit Shah, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation’s visit to NAFED inspired the Federation & encouraged NAFED to expand its agricultural marketing activities to achieve a turnover of Rs 1 lakh crore in the next 7 years while reducing imports of Pulses.