Bridging Water and Gender : ICAR-CIFRI Advances Women-Centric Pathways for Blue Economy and Viksit Bharat @2047 on World Water Day 2026

March 2026 : On the occasion of World Water Day 2026, the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), Barrackpore, organised a thought-provoking technical programme on 22 March, 2026, centered on the theme “Water and Gender”, bringing into focus the critical intersection of water resources, livelihoods, and gender equity.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. K.K. Vaas, Chairman of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC), underscored the growing relevance of integrating gender perspectives in water management. He called for cutting-edge research, innovative edsucation, and capacity-building initiatives to address emerging challenges in agricultural water use and sustainability.

In his address, Dr. Pradip Dey, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, underscored the critical interlinkages between water, fisheries, and women’s empowerment, highlighting that nearly 4.8 million women—constituting about 40% of India’s fisheries workforce—play a vital yet often under-recognized role across the value chain, from harvesting to post-harvest operations. He emphasized that strengthening women’s participation and ensuring equitable access to water resources are central to enhancing productivity, livelihood resilience, and community well-being, aligning with the institute’s commitment to a sustainable Blue Economy and the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Dr. Aparna Roy and Dr. Piyasi Debroy, Senior Scientists of the institute, enriched the programme with domain-specific insights through technical presentations on sustainable water management and the pivotal role of women in inland fisheries, underscoring their contribution to livelihood security and resource sustainability.

The programme witnessed active participation from around 124 stakeholders—including RAC members, Heads of Divisions and Regional Centres, scientists, Professors of Practice from Khalsi Beel in North 24 Parganas, and students—collectively reflecting a strong commitment to gender-inclusive and water-smart fisheries development.

The event reaffirmed ICAR-CIFRI’s leadership in advancing equitable, sustainable, and innovation-driven fisheries research aligned with global water and gender priorities, while resonating with the campaign message “Where water flows, equality grows” to promote inclusive approaches to water and fisheries management.

Team Maverick