Lok Sabha Question No. 4551 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Technological Assistance to Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Sunita Duggal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4551

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  MARCH, 2023

## TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS

## 4551.  SHRIMATI SUNITA DUGGAL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken research on technologies which are relevant to farmers engaged in Aquaculture and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether there are some schemes/policies for technological and scientific assistance to farmers in relation to Aquaculture and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Department of Science and Technology accord relevant technical/scientific periodic inputs to the National Agriculture Research System (NARS) for agricultural advancement and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) The  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  through  its  eight  Fisheries  Research Institutes  and  their  30  regional  research  centres  have  developed  and  disseminated  diversified aquaculture  technologies  for  freshwater,  brackishwater  and  marine  waters.    During  the  last  five years, aquaculture technologies developed by ICAR includes captive breeding and seed production for 24 food fishes & 42 ornamental fishes; 24 aquaculture systems; 23 fish feeds for different life stages of commercially important fishes and 32-aquaculture health products including diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics formulations. Over 75,000 farmers and other stakeholders on the different aspects of fisheries and aquaculture have been trained during last five years.
- (b) The  Department  of  Fisheries,  Ministry  of  Fisheries,  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying implements Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) - a flagship scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector of India with a total investment of Rs.20050 crores for a period of 5 years with effect from the financial year 202021 for development of fisheries in all States/Union Territories. Further, PMMSY is aims at technology infusion along the value chain for enhancing fish production and productivity, quality and hygiene and modernization and strengthening the supply and value chain. PMMSY also promotes adoption of technologies in production and post-harvest management including High-density aquaculture in ponds, re-circulatory aquaculture System (RAS), biofloc, aquaponics, cage culture, nano-feed, live feed technology, Block chain, value addition, quality preservations and marketing etc. Transfer of developed technologies related to aquaculture from labs to farmers are encouraged and promoted.
- (c) Department of Science and Technology (DST) sponsors different research and development projects to the ICAR Research Institutes under National Agriculture Research System (NARS) on different aspects of agriculture including crop science, horticulture, animal science, fisheries, natural resource management, agricultural engineering & agricultural education. During last five years, DST has sponsored 271 projects amounting Rs. 124.74 crores for agricultural advancement.

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