An Overview of Blue Revolution

In food production, a vital role is undertaken by the aquaculture or fishing sectors. Fisheries have a major contribution to agricultural exports and nutritional security. Totally 15 million people were involved in fishery activities so it is clear that this sector provides people secure employment and livelihood. The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) was initiated by our Indian Government to maintain this sector in a good manner. It promotes the production of fish and enhances the infrastructure of fisheries. Through NFDB, a central scheme called Blue Revolution was initiated in the year 2015 by Hiralal Chaudhri.

Blue Revolution

Blue revolution is an integrated Government sponsored scheme that supports the development of fishing units. It covers various activities which are multi-dimensional. Blue revolution is related to fish production and increases the productivity level of marine aquaculture and inland aquaculture. The blue revolution was initiated by Hiralal Chaudhri, who is known as the father of the blue revolution.

In the initial stages of 1980, there was a depletion in fish production due to improper maintenance. And gradually, the aquaculture productivity increased by 50%. The production of seaweeds, shellfish, and fish were raised to 5.8% in the year 2017. Aquaculture supplies fish and increases global consumption to 3.1% each year after the commencement of the Blue revolution.

Objectives of the Blue Revolution

The main objectives of the blue revolution are to increase the production of fish and the sustainability of aquaculture. Blue revolution supports the security of nutrition and food. It enhances the employment and economic prosperity of the people, especially farmers. The earnings from the exports were very high. Blue revolution also focuses on environmental concerns and bio-security.

Strategies Used in the Blue Revolution

The blue revolution covers the small wetlands and ponds to the deep sea. The species diversity, adoption of innovative technology, and dissemination are the three strategies adopted in the NFDB and blue revolution. To increase the production and utilisation, the pond areas were expanded and deep-sea were exploited. In the freshwater aquaculture, a high-level improved culture was adopted with the creation of new infrastructure. To implement these strategies, several agencies were involved like fisheries cooperatives, ICAR, NFDB institutes, state, and central Government federations.

Components of the Blue Revolution

The components of the blue revolution are listed below:

• National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen
• Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Development
• Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure, and Post-Harvest Operations Development
• Fisheries Sector Institutional Arrangement
• Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance  and other need-based Interventions
• Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector
• National Fisheries Development Board with its activities
• National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen

In the above components, central funds were provided by Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, the National Fisheries Development Board with its activities, the National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen and Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure, and Post-Harvest Operations Development. The remaining three components are implemented with the central funding of 100%. Fundings are provided for all the people like entrepreneurs, collectives, and individual beneficiaries.

Importance of the Blue Revolution

Blue revolution plays a major role in developing the economy of fishers and farmers. It helps in the reduction of poverty and elevates the livelihoods of people who are depending on the fishery sector. It provides better employment and a stable income. Through aquaculture, the rural people get income from the production of different kinds of seafood. Many fishing practices yield different income ranges. Hence, the income may vary in several ranges depending on the production, demand, and types of activities they are involved in.

The blue revolution found its contribution to the development and management of freshwater aquaculture. The term ‘Aquaculture’ includes inland and marine farming. It supplies fish at a higher rate for human consumption. But the major disadvantages of aquaculture are water pollution and over intensification challenges.

Apart from providing income security, the blue revolution also provides food and nutrient security. It is helpful for the people living in rural areas and low-income nations. The sustainability of aquaculture reliably increases the fish supply. Aquaculture reduced the prices of the produced species that made them affordable for the people to get. The low price and continuous supply improved food production in insecure regions. Humans consume fish as it is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and iodine. It also contains significant proteins. The blue revolution increased consumption, reduced the production price, and threatened nutrition and food security.

Conclusion

Blue revolution is a government scheme that supports the integrated development of fishing units. It covers various multi-dimensional activities. Blue revolution is related to the production of fish and the main vision is to increase fish productivity and aquaculture sustainability. The father of the blue revolution is Hiralal Chaudhri and it was proposed in 2015. There are seven components in a blue revolution that provide full and partial funding. The blue revolution helps in providing income, nutrition, and food security to the fishermen and farmers. It provides secure employment with a stable income. Blue revolution runs with the help of three strategies that support the development and management of fisheries.