Fisheries Development in India: Implications for Food and Nutritional Security

Abstract

Sustainable transformation in the fish-based food system holds critical importance in meeting food and nutritional security, earning foreign exchange, and generating income and employment for local communities while preserving the overall health of the agroecosystem. In this context, the present study was undertaken with the objectives of examining the development in the production and domestic supply of fish in India, and to highlight its implications for domestic nutritional security. The study uses secondary data collected from various statistical sources. The study shows that the fisheries sector has witnessed structural transformation over a period of time. More than three-fourths of the total fish produced in India continues to be utilised fresh, and only about 15% is processed, mainly targeting the export market. Exports of demersal and pelagic fish are growing at 26% and 11% per year, respectively, which has implications for domestic food and nutritional security. The per capita fish consumption in India has increased over the years, albeit at a slow pace. During 2010 to 2020, at the national level, the total protein and fat supply from all food sources increased from 25.4 to 32.4 Mt and from 8.3 to 12.6 Mt, in which the share of fish had a notable increase. Consequently, the per capita supply of protein and fat from fish has increased from 0.85 to 2.35 g/day in protein and from 0.15 to 0.5 g/day in fat. The per capita supply of fish-based protein and fat is increasing over a period of time, as the supply of fish is growing above the population growth rate. However, the global data indicate that compared to several Asian neighbours, the fish-based nutrients in the supply of animal based protein and fat are lower in India, and there is potential to augment it. Due to the high demand, fish as a commodity may become inaccessible to several low-income consumers, unless its production is increased to meet the demand. This necessitates strategies to enhance production through sustainable intensification supported by appropriate technologies, institutional frameworks, and enabling policies, while maintaining ecosystem health.