14 July 2026: The Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. M. L. Jat had called upon the scientists to strengthen translational research and multidisciplinary collaboration to develop farmer-centric innovations for transforming India's inland fisheries sector. He was addressing scientists during his visit to the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), Barrackpore on Monday (July 13, 2026).
Dr. Jat said ICAR-CIFRI has a pivotal role in advancing inland fisheries through research that translates scientific discoveries into scalable field-level solutions, benefiting fishers and fish farmers across the country. He urged the researchers to adopt interdisciplinary approaches, leverage digital technologies and develop solutions to address emerging challenges in the fisheries sector.
Dr. Jat outlined a transformative vision for India's inland fisheries, placing translational research, multidisciplinary collaboration and farmer-centric innovation at the heart of future scientific endeavours.
Highlighting the growing importance of digital agriculture, Dr. Jat described data as the "new money" of the future and emphasised that data-driven research would play a key role in shaping the next generation of agricultural and fisheries innovations. He also stressed the need to nurture young scientists, promote excellence, ensure institutional accountability and create an enabling ecosystem that recognises and encourages high-quality scientific contributions.
Reaffirming ICAR's commitment to research and innovation, Dr. Jat assured the scientists of continued institutional support in advancing technologies that contribute to sustainable livelihoods, food and nutritional security, and the country's Blue Economy.
Dr. D. K. Yadav, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR, accompanied Dr. Jat during the visit. He also emphasised that scientific excellence must ultimately translate into tangible benefits for farmers and fishers and appreciated ICAR-CIFRI's significant contributions towards developing sustainable and stakeholder-oriented technologies for the inland fisheries sector.
The visiting dignitaries were welcomed by Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Dr. Pradip Dey, along with scientists, officers and staff of the Institute. The visit commenced with a plantation drive under the nationwide campaign "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam", reaffirming the Institute's commitment to environmental sustainability.
Welcoming the dignitaries, Dr. Dey highlighted ICAR-CIFRI's major scientific achievements, technological innovations and future research priorities. He outlined the Institute's continued efforts towards enhancing inland fisheries and aquaculture through science-based interventions aimed at improving productivity, sustainability and the livelihoods of fishers.
The occasion also witnessed the release of several scientific publications and knowledge products developed by ICAR-CIFRI, including CIFRI-CleanMeen, an innovative water-dispersible formulation of edible plant extracts capable of selectively eliminating red-blood weed fishes, including carps, catfishes and air-breathing fishes, within 24 hours without adversely affecting white-blood aquatic organisms such as shrimps, snails and zooplankton.
A book titled "Fisheries Management Strategies for Danduabeel, Assam" was also released.
The visit underscored ICAR's continued focus on strengthening research, innovation and inter-institutional collaboration to promote sustainable inland fisheries, enhance the livelihoods of fishers and support the growth of a resilient Blue Economy.
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