Here is some good news for the fishing community of India which includes at least 16 million fishers and fishworkers. On July 6, Giriraj Singh, Union minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, launched a new exclusive app — the Matsya Setu app — which promises to be of great help to all those wanting to become aqua farmers. 

“Our fish farmers were unable to take part physically in courses held at research institutes, in order to augment their knowledge and skills during the pandemic. The Matsya App is a wonderful tool of learning and the need of the hour, ” the minister said while launching the app. 

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He went on to explain how the app would enable fish farmers to learn about advancements in technology and better management practices at their own time and pace. The scientific methods of fish farming would enhance productivity and income, the minister assured. Matsya Setu would also enable dissemination of the latest information on different schemes among the stakeholders, such as fishers, fish farmers, youth and entrepreneurs across the country, he said. 

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), based in Bhubaneswar, along with funding support from the National Fisheries and Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, has developed this new app which will deliver freshwater aquaculture technologies to aqua farmers in the country.  

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Pandemic push for the app 

“It had become difficult for the farmers to reach out to us in the pandemic and vice versa so we decided to do something that would enable us to reach information about aqua culture to them at their home,” Saroj Kumar Swain, director, Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, told Gaon Connection.  

The app is a part of an NFDB project to impart virtual training to aqua farmers. 

“While we were having several virtual training sessions, those were limiting. No more than a hundred people could take part in them,” Swain said. “That was when we thought of developing an app that had no such limitations and everyone could use it,” he added. 

On the occasion of the launch, Union minister Giriraj Singh had also said that in order to spearhead the technology-led aquaculture development in the country, it was vital to provide capacity building avenues to fish farmers.  

About the app

“All fish related queries can be addressed in the Matsya Setu app,” said Swain. The app provides species-wise self learning online course modules, where renowned aquaculture experts explain the basic concepts and practical demonstrations on breeding, seed production and grow-out culture of commercially important fishes like carp, catfish, scampi, murrel, ornamental fish, pearl farming, etc.

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 “Some of India’s best aquaculture experts have been roped in. Video recordings of their lectures will be made that can be watched on the app,” Swain added. There will also be practical demonstrations. 

The Matsya Setu modules will have video chapters, along with quizzes, tests and options of self-assessment. On completion of each course module, an e-certificate would be generated for the participant. There is also an option in the app, where farmers could get their doubts and questions addressed by experts. 

Most of the videos are in Hindi and English. There are plans to have them in Odia, Bengali, Marathi, etc. for a wider reach. 

Read the story in Hindi