Theme: Taking Blue Revolution to India HInterland.

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is organising Aqua Aquaria India, one of the largest aquaculture cum aquariculture shows in Asia from 30 August to 1 September 2019 which will take place at Hyderabad, India. As a biennial event concentrating on aquaculture and ornamental fish culture sectors, this mega event involves an exposition on recent developments in aquaculture and ornamental fish sectors along with technical sessions focusing on themes relevant for the development of the sectors attracting large number of farmers, hatchery operators, feed manufacturers, input suppliers, manufacturers and suppliers of various aquaculture and aquarium implements, scientists and experts around the world.

WorldFish Participation

4.30 pm to 5 pm: Tilapia for transforming food systems and nourishing nations Dr. Vishnumurthy Mohan Chadag, WorldFish Research Lead, India

Tilapia is the future fish. Farming systems for tilapia across Asia, Africa and Latin America are diverse, and the bulk of the production owned and operated by small-scale farmers. Farming of tilapia is opened up only recently in India. RGCA runs the satellite GIFT breeding program in India and supplies brood seed to public and private hatcheries and mono-sex seed to grow-out farmers. Initial farm performance and consumer acceptance results coming out of states like Kerala, West Bengal and Odisha is driving demand for brood seed and mono-sex seed. Looking at the growth of tilapia farming in countries like Bangladesh and Egypt in the past decade, India could be in line to become the next big player in tilapia farming.

Tilapia represents an obvious and acceptable opportunity for India to rapidly accelerate affordable fish for consumers, whilst also creating opportunities for SMEs and employment across the value chain. GIFT is now available in India, and within 10 years, the country could feasibly target production of 1 million tonnes. This could be done through investments in maintaining/developing GIFT core genetics, accelerating dissemination of GIFT through establishment of bio-secure satellite hatcheries and a network of certified multiplication centers. Integrated R&D investments with private sector in sustainable feeds, health solutions, bio-secure farming systems, and digitally enabled knowledge and finance would result in productive and sustainable farming innovations systems at scale. To ensure sustainable tilapia farming in compliance with GOI national guidelines and safeguard tilapia production against disease and climate related risks, promoting the uptake and adoption of farm level biosecurity and better management practices by small-scale farmers is of paramount importance.

India is the world’s second largest fish producing country, however, our per caput fish consumption is only one-quarter of the global average. Low consumption of healthy and nutritious fish is one key factor in India’s high rates of malnutrition. Bringing in safe and affordable tilapia to the Indian plate will contribute to nourishing many more consumers and the overall transformation and resilience of Indian food systems.