Enhancing Climate Resilience through Sustainable Crab Aquaculture in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, December 12, 2024: The State Project Management Unit of the Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project today organized the Crab Farmers’ and Exporters’ Meet at the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) Campus, Bhubaneswar. The event brought together crab farmers, exporters, government representatives, and technical experts to promote sustainable aquaculture practices and create robust market linkages.

While inaugurating the event Shri Prem Kumar Jha, IFS, Director, Environment-cum-Special Secretary to Government and State Project Director, ECRICC Project, Odisha, emphasized the pivotal role of mud crab aquaculture in strengthening Odisha’s fisheries sector. He explained how this initiative is likely to ensure sustainable source of income for local communities in coastal areas. The project’s progress, the challenges and opportunities in crab export, and the critical role of stakeholders etc were discussed in detail.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Archiman Lahiri, Deputy Director, MPEDA, highlighted the increasing demand for high-quality mud crabs in international markets and the immense potential for Odisha to emerge as a leading exporter. The ECRICC project, supported by the Green Climate Fund, aims to bolster the livelihoods of vulnerable coastal populations, particularly in Odisha and two other states, namely, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. The project focuses on fostering climate-adaptive livelihoods and enhancing the resilience of coastal communities to climate change impacts.

In Odisha, the project is being implemented in 7 landscapes of 4 districts of Odisha (Puri, Ganjam, Kendrapada, and Balasore) by the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Department, Government of Odisha under the overall supervision of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEFCC), Government of India. United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) is the official agency of Green Climate Fund to ensure quality assurance of the project. The Plans for 2025 include identifying additional farmers, scaling crab aquaculture practices, and establishing a dedicated crab hatchery in Odisha to ensure sustainable seed supply will be drawn in consultation with all stakeholders. The capacity building of all concerned including farmers will be one of the major activities of the project. The strategies for improving farmers’ access to international markets, quality checks, export documentation, etc were discussed to be facilitated through the exporters.

The officials of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Department (F&ARD), Government of Odisha, and exporters from West Bengal and Tamilnadu were invited to the workshop. Dr Spandita Kar, State Project Manager, ECRICC, and her team coordinated the smooth conduct of the event. The establishment of partnerships between government, NGOs, and exporters promises a positive transformative impact on Odisha’s coastal communities.