India joins hands with FAO for world-class ports

The Department of Fisheries has signed a Technical Cooperation Programme agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to strengthen Blue Port infrastructure in India.

In line with the development, Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Fisheries, also addressed a webinar on the topic “Foundations of a Blue Port: Generating Value in Fishing Ports” on Thursday. It witnessed participation from Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India.

Likhi said fishing ports were not just physical infrastructures but strategic gateways to economic prosperity, ecological sustainability, and social inclusion. He reiterated the government’s vision of developing ecologically healthy, economically viable, and socially inclusive fisheries systems to strengthen national food and nutritional security.

Likhi underlined the contribution of flagship schemes of the Centre in driving modernization and stakeholder empowerment and called for collaborative efforts between public and private stakeholders to address climate resilience, traceability, and energy transition in port operations. Welcoming FAO’s support in piloting strategic upgrades at Vanakbara ( Diu) and Jakhau (Gujarat) ports, he noted that under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojna, three Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbours are being developed in Gujarat, Daman and Diu, and Puducherry with a total investment of Rs 369.80 crores.

The FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) on ‘Strengthening of Blue Ports’ intends to assist the GoI to strengthen the fishing ports' technical capacities to address the main environmental, social and economic challenges that affect the aquatic value chain. Two pilot fishing ports, specifically Vanakbara (Diu) and Jakhau in Gujarat, will benefit from this TCP that will provide them with specific strategic and operational tools to identify and formulate investment projects, whose implementation would address the main challenges. Also, a capacity building programme will be provided aimed at public and private stakeholders to better comprehend the main challenges and oriented solutions that address the sustainability of fishing ports.