Aligned with the vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi”, the Ministry of Cooperation is organising a National Level Workshop on Fisheries Cooperatives in Hyderabad on Friday, aiming to accelerate cooperative-led transformation in India’s fisheries sector and strengthen the country’s blue economy through inclusive and sustainable growth.
Being held at Sheraton Hyderabad, the workshop is bringing together representatives from States and Union Territories, cooperative institutions, financial agencies, policymakers and fisheries experts to deliberate on strategies for expanding and strengthening fisheries cooperative societies across the country.
The deliberations are focusing on enhancing livelihood opportunities for fishing communities while promoting sustainable fisheries practices and cooperative-driven rural development. Officials highlight that fisheries cooperatives can play a major role in improving market access, strengthening supply chains, ensuring better prices for fishermen and creating employment in coastal as well as inland regions.
A key agenda of the workshop is the preparation of an action plan for the formation of new fisheries cooperatives in different parts of the country. Discussions are also being held on various government schemes and welfare initiatives aimed at supporting fishermen, fish farmers and cooperative institutions engaged in fisheries-related activities.
Special emphasis is being laid on the potential of inland fisheries cooperatives in inland, Himalayan and Northeastern states. Experts note that these regions possess significant untapped potential for fisheries development and cooperative participation could help local communities build sustainable income sources while improving food security.
The workshop is also examining ways to strengthen fisheries cooperatives through better credit linkages and financial support mechanisms. Representatives from financial institutions are discussing measures to improve access to institutional finance, infrastructure support and working capital for cooperative societies engaged in fish production, processing and marketing.
Another major area of discussion is diversification opportunities for marine fisheries cooperatives and exploration of new market avenues. Participants are stressing the need for value addition, modern processing facilities and better export-oriented infrastructure to improve the competitiveness of cooperative fisheries enterprises.
The Ministry is also highlighting initiatives linked to the world’s largest grain storage plan in the cooperative sector and the broader national target of forming and strengthening two lakh new Multi-Purpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (MPACS), dairy and fisheries cooperative societies across the country.
Officials state that strengthening fisheries cooperatives will not only support economic empowerment of fishermen and rural communities but also contribute significantly to India’s ambition of building a robust and sustainable blue economy.
The workshop is expected to help formulate a coordinated roadmap for expanding cooperative participation in the fisheries sector and enhancing livelihood opportunities across coastal and inland regions of the country.