The Way Forward:

The following measures will help to further strengthen the fisheries sector:

♤ Schemes of integrated approach for enhancing inland fish production and productivity with forward and backward linkages right from production chain and input requirements like quality fish seeds and fish feeds and creation of required infrastructure for harvesting, hygienic handling, value addition and marketing of fish.

♤ Existing Fish Farmers Development Authority (FFDAs) would be revamped and cooperative sectors, SHGs and youths would be actively involved in intensive aquaculture activities.

♤ Large scale adoption of culture-based capture fisheries and cage culture in reservoirs and larger water bodies are to be taken up.

♤ Sustainable exploitation of marine fishery resources especially deep sea resources and enhancement of marine fish production through sea farming, Mari-culture, resource replenishment programme like setting up of artificial reefs.

Therefore, the extent to which the pro-poor potential of livestock can be harnessed would depend on how technology, institutions, policies and financial support address the constraints of the sector. The number-driven growth in livestock production may not sustain in the long run due to its increasing stress on the limited natural resources. The future growth has to come from improvements in technology and service delivery systems leading to accelerated productivity, processing and marketing.