Tata Trusts and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) along with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake collaborative efforts to bring better living conditions to the rural communities whose livelihoods are linked to fisheries and aquaculture.
The signing of the MoU, will strive to address several key issues facing the fisheries sector including low volume of catch, low productivity in aquaculture and depletion of fishery resources in sea.
It will also help resolve issues surrounding low price realization due to several layers of intermediaries, and disconnect to better access to markets as well as a lack of safe, hygienic conditions.
The MoU aims at addressing these problems by looking at a shift to culture fisheries, from the predominant capture fisheries, through the development of the best quality of fish brood-stock for promoting seafood exports from India, and then linking this produce to export markets.
Another focus area of the MoU would be on arriving at ways of improving the fisheries infrastructure, with a strong focus on hygiene, thereby providing an ecosystem necessary for exports.
Together the Trusts and MPEDA will strive to improve the fisheries development plans for Andhra Pradesh in the first phase and then expand to other states after mutual consultation.
"This MoU would provide for collaborative approach to work towards betterment of fishery dependent families," said Chairman MPEDA, Leena Nair.
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Speaking about the initiative, Burzis S Taraporevala, Secretary and Chief Accountant Tata Trusts said, "This unique collaboration brings with it, Tata Trusts' legacy of implementing initiatives to provide sustainable livelihoods across India."
"With the fishing resources emerging as a key source of sustainable livelihood, we intend to work holistically in this sector - from supporting better fishing practices to developing market linkages. MPEDA's expertise spanning fisheries and aquaculture is unparalleled and we hope, with this association, we are able to bring prosperity to rural communities," added Burzis S Taraporevala.