WorldFish and the Government of Uttar Pradesh, India, have signed a three-year agreement to strengthen fish breeding and improve access to quality fish seed, helping increase aquaculture productivity and improve rural livelihoods.
The partnership will provide technical assistance to more than 300 government and private fish hatcheries in Uttar Pradesh. A WorldFish project office based in Gorakhpur will coordinate activities to improve the production of quality fish seed for carp, pangasius and GIFT tilapia.
As fish farming expands in Uttar Pradesh, improving the availability of reliable, affordable fish seed will be essential to meeting growing demand, helping farmers increase productivity and strengthen their livelihoods.
Dr. Essam Yassin Mohammed, Director General of WorldFish, said: “Scientific advances in fish breeding have the potential to transform aquaculture, but their real value is only achieved when they reach the farmers who need them. Through this partnership, we can bring WorldFish’s fifty years of research and experience together with local expertise and investment to help farmers produce more food, improve their incomes and build stronger livelihoods.”
The project will support the transfer of pangasius breeding technologies to hatcheries and the development of GIFT tilapia seed production at five hatcheries. It will also strengthen carp breeding through the introduction of improved breeding stock and technologies that support more reliable, year-round seed production.
WorldFish experts will work alongside government fisheries officials and hatchery operators, providing technical training, knowledge exchange and on-site assistance to help existing hatcheries improve production. Mr. Mukesh Kumar Meshram, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Fisheries, Government of Uttar Pradesh, said:
“The WorldFish Uttar Pradesh Fisheries Project will play a vital role in the holistic development of the fisheries sector through the introduction of high-yielding genetically improved species, transfer of modern technologies, research, and training.” The three-year initiative is funded by the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Ms. Dhanalakshmi K., IAS, Director General of Fisheries, Government of Uttar Pradesh, said: “This partnership will not only increase the productivity and income of our fish farmers but will also significantly boost rural employment, nutrition and food security across the state.” The agreement builds on WorldFish’s longstanding collaboration with governments and research institutions in India and globally to develop aquaculture innovations and make them accessible to farming communities.