Sustainable Fisheries for a Prosperous Future: Insights from Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.

Despite the challenges posed by the ‘Early Monsoon’ season, the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA), a nationwide agricultural initiative, was inaugurated on May 29, in alignment with the national vision of “Viksit Bharat” by 2047. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), in collaboration with 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK’s), 113 ICAR Institutes, 63 State Agricultural Universities, 3 Central Agricultural Universities and every state Governments is spearheading this campaign.

The main goal of the campaign is to take research “from lab to land.” Agricultural scientists will not only carry out research in labs but will also visit farms and interact with farmers. This will spark a new revolution in the agriculture sector. The work being done in research centres should be clearly visible on the ground. One of the target of this initiative is to address the fisheries sector, where efforts are being made to enhance farmer-scientist interactions, promote research-driven solutions to fish farming challenges, encourage sustainable practices through modern techniques, and facilitate farmers’ access to government schemes providing financial and technical support.

On May 31, 2025, ICAR-CIFRI scientists, in collaboration with local Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVKs), conducted extensive outreach programs across West Bengal, successfully engaging over 2500 farmers. The initiative covered key aspects of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, including fish disease management, composite fish culture, pond health management and use of drone in fisheries sector. These efforts aimed to provide farmers with practical insights into modern fish farming methods that optimise productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability. Through interactive training sessions, farmers gained valuable knowledge about pest control and various government support schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

Dr. B. K. Das, Director, CIFRI have reaffirmed, “As part of the outreach initiative, soil health cards and pamphlets were distributed, fostering continuous learning and awareness among farmers. Through scientific interventions and knowledge enhancement for fishers, the program will effectively boost fish productivity, improve rural livelihoods and propel India’s fisheries sector toward sustainable growth“.

The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan is a testament to the government’s commitment in fostering agricultural growth through research-based solutions, ensuring that farmers have access to the latest innovations in aquaculture. Through collaborative efforts between scientists, policymakers, and farmers, this initiative continues to drive transformative changes in India’s fisheries sector, securing a prosperous and sustainable future for the sector.

Team Maverick