Aquaculture boom has taken place across the globe including India, however, it is only just beginning and there is strong reason for this development. With an estimated population of 9 billion by 2050, the world is likely to face a global shortage of animal protein. Since aquaculture has already demonstrated a more efficient feed conversion and lower carbon footprint than that of livestock, it is becoming imperative that we prioritize efforts to invest in expansion of aquaculture research, human resources development and commercialization today to meet the nutritional needs of the future.
Sustainable aquaculture development will also help in enhancing food and nutritional security, creating employment, alleviating poverty and inclusive economic growth. It can be an important complement to other food production systems. Its role has also become increasingly important as the yields from inland and ocean fisheries having reached or exceeded maximum sustainable yields over the past 25 years throughout the world while the demand for aquatic products continues to rise. With the right partners, stakeholders, technologies and responsible practice aquaculture can deliver its potential to transform lives and feed the planet.
In order to avail emerging opportunities and to push the momentum of aquaculture, we need to get prepared to provide adequate number of adequately qualified and skilled professionals required at different levels. To commensurate with the future course of development the sector needs specialised professionals at various levels including sectoral management (policy, planning and governance), research, professional education, extension, training, industries, marketing, exports, etc. While projecting our human resources development requirements, often we have underestimated the needs at production unit level, community and ecosystem levels, floor supervision level, marketing and other important links along the entire fish value chain. Managers are generally not able to perform all the tasks required at all levels and facilities. Envisaged growth in aquaculture and fisheries sector would require a huge number of para fisheries professionals or technicians of various categories. Aquaculture technicians perform the daily tasks and go by various job titles, farm managers, hatchery managers, RAS unit managers, breeding technicians, live fish food production technicians, etc., are typical examples.
Public-funded fisheries extension services have been often blamed as poor and responsible for the slow pace of aquaculture development in India. An study revealed that 90% of aqua farmers depend on private extension sources for information. The main reason for this poor state of extension is the absence of para fisheries extension personnel which is critical for strengthening the link between a large number of small or family farms and the department of fisheries led extension services. A lot of work related to technology transfer, organising farmers and facilitation of farmers' organizations, mainstreaming concept of sustainability and responsible fisheries and aquaculture across the farming / fishing communities are expected to be provided by such field level technicians.