ICAR-CIFE and VAMNICOM partner to advance fisheries cooperative management

New Delhi: The Central Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE) and the Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM) have formalized a partnership to enhance cooperative management in India’s fisheries sector.

This collaboration aligns with the national vision of establishing two lakh Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), dairy, and fishery cooperatives across the country.

India’s fisheries industry, which supports the livelihoods of over 14.46 million people, stands to gain from this joint effort. The newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to strengthen the sector by promoting the use of advanced technologies and encouraging value addition in fishery cooperatives. Both institutions will work together to explore opportunities in fishery cooperatives with a focus on education, research, capacity building, and consultancy services.

The MoU signing ceremony took place at the ICAR-CIFE campus in Mumbai, attended by key figures including Dr. Ravishankar CN, Director and Vice Chancellor of ICAR-CIFE, and Dr. Hema Yadav, Director of VAMNICOM, along with faculty members, scientists, and other stakeholders.

Dr. Ravishankar expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, describing it as a turning point for the fisheries sector. “This partnership will not only strengthen our research capabilities but also extend our reach in delivering impactful training programs. We are excited about the potential advancements in cooperative management that will emerge from this collaboration,” he said.

Dr. Hema Yadav also highlighted the potential benefits of the alliance. “By joining forces with ICAR-CIFE, we are taking a monumental step towards integrating cooperative management principles into the fisheries sector. This collaboration will enable us to leverage each other’s expertise and resources to drive innovation and improve practices across the board,” she remarked.

The signing of the MoU marks the beginning of a focused effort to achieve sustainable development and operational excellence in the fisheries industry through enhanced cooperative management. Both ICAR-CIFE and VAMNICOM are dedicated to addressing the challenges facing the sector and driving progress in this crucial field.