WorldFish signs agreement to advance climate-resilient aquaculture in Odisha

WorldFish, the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Fisheries have joined forces to boost climate-resilient aquaculture in Odisha. In a momentous event, a tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed on 8 June 2023, with a focus on climate resilience for smallholder aquatic food producers. The signing ceremony, attended by esteemed government officials, World Bank representatives and WorldFish staff, marked a significant step towards advancing the state's aquaculture sector. 

Smruti Ranjan Pradhan, the director of fisheries for Odisha, Rashmi Ranjan Nayak, the project director of OIIPCRA and an additional secretary to the Government of Odisha and Arun Padiyar, WorldFish lead in India signed the MoA in the presence of Anu Garg, the development commissioner-cum-additional chief secretary of the Department of Water Resources in Odisha, Suresh Kumar Vashisth, the principal secretary of the Department of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development in Odisha and Arabinda Kumar Padhee, the principal secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment in Odisha. 

The agreement, facilitated by the Odisha Community Tank Development and Management Society (OCTDMS), aims to intensify and diversify agricultural production while enhancing climate resilience. Under the agreement, WorldFish will provide technical assistance and knowledge support for the Odisha Integrated Irrigation and Climate Resilience Agriculture (OIIPCRA) initiative. 

Our previous collaboration with WorldFish had a significant impact whereby the seed production in Odisha doubled thus ensuring the state's self-sufficiency through the adoption of WorldFish’s early breeding technology and facilitation in adopting reservoir cage culture.

Suresh Kumar Vashisth
Principal Secretary
Department of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, Odisha

Building on past successes 

This collaboration aims to bring advanced and proven aquaculture technologies, offer capacity-building opportunities for various beneficiaries such as government officials, farmers, entrepreneurs and members of women Self Help Groups, Primary Fishermen Cooperative Societies, Pani Panchayats and Water User Groups and implement innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions. 

The Indian Government has long invested in constructing multipurpose public tanks and check-dams to harvest rainwater, primarily as a climate mitigation measure. Involving local communities with incentives through suitable policies and programs will help ensure that the public water bodies are properly maintained.  

In Odisha, the government is particularly focused on promoting climate-resilient aquatic food production systems in these public water bodies. This project serves as an economically beneficial activity and provides incentives to the local community. 

Arun Pandiyar
India Lead
WorldFish

The OIIPCRA project will benefit smallholder farmers across 15 districts, including Balangir, Balasore, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Boudh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nawarangpur, Nuapada and Subarnapur. By focusing on adaptation and mitigation strategies, species diversification and the adoption of new technologies, the project aims to enhance production, increase income and reduce the vulnerability of resource-poor farmers to climate shocks. 

Importantly, the project also has a gendered perspective, seeking to empower women farmers through targeted beneficiary selection. The collaboration, supported by the World Bank, promises to bring sustainable benefits to Odisha's aquaculture sector and uplift smallholder farmers' livelihoods. 

WorldFish's technical support in the OIIPCRA project will facilitate the induction of fisheries technology of global standards into Odisha and build the capacity of key department officials, thereby ensuring the success of the OIIPCRA project.

Anu Garg
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary
Department of Water Resources, Odisha