Dr PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to India’s Prime Minister, was impressed with the innovative and strategic seaweed farming sites developed along the Indo-Pak border marine waters of Kori and Padala in Gujarat’s Kutch district during a recent visit, according to the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI).
The institute said the visit marked a pivotal moment in India’s mariculture history in the larger context of ensuring political and social security coupled with farmer well-being.
Developmental activities such as region specific customised indigenous HDPE seaweed raft design, cultivation technology, production performance and sustainable farming practices developed by ICAR-CMFRI were briefed to the Principal Secretary, who expressed his keen interest in discussions pertaining to the economics of production and the socio-economic implications of this project.
The project has introduced custom-made HDPE rafts, dedicated to cultivating the resilient seaweed species Kappaphycus alvarezii. Each raft, valued at Rs 16,000, has a lifespan of 20 years.
With attributes such as flexibility, manoeuvrability, and ease of operations, the grid technology heralds a new era of efficiency, surpassing conventional methods employed in states like Tamil Nadu.
The project’s strategic significance, particularly in regions like Kutch, situated along the sentient Indo-Pak border is one of the key highlights of the project. This, ICAR-CMFRI said, is poised to redefine the seaweed sector and harness the potential of the innovative grid technology.
The visit of the Principal Secretary is expected to boost ICAR-CMFRI’s initiatives in mariculture paving the way for new trajectories in technology innovations and farmer well-being in the times to come. Dignitaries such as Director General of the BSF; Principal Secretary, Dept of Trourism, Govt of Gujarat; Chief Forest Conservator, Govt of Gujarat; District Magistrate of Bhuj, Inspector General of Police, Govt of Gujarat; and senior officials from the Department of Fisheries, Govt of Gujarat among others accompanied the Principal Secretary.
