Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University has established a Capacity Building Resource Centre (CBRC) under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in an effort to advance sustainable aquaculture practices in line with climate change adaptation.The centre, funded by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying (Government of India), focuses on promoting intensive aquaculture technologies (IATs) like the Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS) and Biofloc-based Aquaculture System (BAS).
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Inderjeet Singh highlighted that the CBRC, with a budget of Rs 1.39 crore, is the first of its kind in northern India. It aims to meet the training needs of fish farmers, aspiring entrepreneurs, officials, and scientists by promoting sustainable and economically viable aquaculture technologies suited to the region’s climate.
According to Dr. Meera D. Ansal, Dean of the College of Fisheries, these climate-smart technologies require significantly less water and land—only 10-15% of what traditional pond aquaculture practices demand—while achieving higher productivity. The university has already harvested its first pangas catfish crop using RAS and BAS, with respective productivity levels of 15 kg/m³ and 11 kg/m³, far exceeding the 1.5-2.0 kg/m³ output of traditional ponds.
The centre aims to address the capacity-building needs of stakeholders in the region and develop cost-effective models of RAS and BAS suited to local climate conditions. Over the past year, the university has trained around 190 farmers, state fisheries officials, aspiring entrepreneurs, and students. Additionally, stakeholders from neighboring states, including Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, have been invited for hands-on training in IATs.
The university is also experimenting with new species like singhi (Heteropneustes fossilis) and climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) to develop diversified, economically viable culture technologies for RAS and BAS. Dr. Ansal noted that many aquaculture systems are being established in the north-western region without formal training, making the university’s capacity-building initiatives crucial for ensuring the adoption of effective and sustainable practices.
This push for climate-resilient aquaculture practices is seen as a critical step in achieving the nation’s production targets while conserving depleting aquatic resources.
