Startup initiatives are common in sectors other than aquaculture, and hence an aquaculture startup day has been organized on the occasion of 90th ICAR-foundation at CIBA on 16th July 2018, to infuse innovations and attract entrepreneurship in aquafarming. A Brainstorming workshop on “Startup India programme on aquaculture sector” brought the outgoing students from Fisheries Colleges of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and TamilNadu together on the startup platform at CIBA. Presentations were made by the participants on novel ideas on projects related to aquaculture sector before a panel of experts drawn from industry, promotional agencies like MPEDA, NFDB, MSME, CII, FICCI, Investors, Startups, Farmers, Professors and Scientists, followed by critical review and suggestions. The budding startup proposals include cost-effective feed for freshwater aquaculture, value-added products and its labelling, certification and marketing avenues, aquaculture vaccines, seaweed technologies, probiotics, online delivery system using IoT and Android platforms, genetically improved ornamental fish, live fish marketing system and integrated aquaculture systems.
The panellists gave their views on the projects, sensitized them the application procedures and financial support offered by the banks, funding agencies and clarified the technical doubts regarding the startup entities presented. Subsequently, officials from NFDB, MSME and MEDA explained the details of various schemes offered by them for the promotion and funding avenues for the startup enterprises in the aquaculture sector. The workshop was presided by Dr.S.V.Alavandi Director i/c CIBA Chennai and he quoted the robust state and opportunities in shrimp farming, with industry estimates that aquaculture production of shrimp may exceed 6 lakh tonnes in the coming year, with an export value over 5 billionUS$. He further informed that during the International Conference – Braqcon 2019 to be held at ICAR-CIBA Chennai during January 2019, another mega-event on startup will be organised for evolving strategies for the promotion of startups in Indian aquaculture. Shri. Ruban Hobday, Additional Director, FICCI, Chennai was the Chief Guest and he assured that FICCI will give the best possible support for the startups in the aquaculture sector. About 70 participants including officials from State Fisheries Departments, Development Agencies like NFDB, MPEDA, MSME, CII, FICCI, Investors, Startups, Professors and students from State Fisheries Universities attended the workshop and participated in the panel discussions. The meeting was coordinated by Dr.T.Ravisankar OIC, ITMU and Dr P K Patil Co-PI ITMU and scientists/ officials from ITMU and Social Science Division.
