Freshwater Aquaculture Assuring the Food and Livelihood Security in India: A Decadal Perspective (2011–2022)

The ever-expanding human population is putting high pressure on the world’s food resources. There is an immediate need to develop sustainable food production systems, and the aquaculture industry is one of them. The aquaculture sector has almost reached a point where it will soon outshine the capture fishery in the world’s fish production. In 2022, aquaculture contributed 49.2% (87.5 MT (million tonnes) to the global fish production of aquatic animals, with an estimated value of 264 billion US dollars. India has maintained its position among the top fish-producing nations during the last two decades and ranked third in total fish production and second in aquaculture production in 2022. In the same year, the country’s total fish and aquaculture production was 16.24 MT and 12.12 MT, respectively. The country has witnessed a 2.5-fold increase in aquaculture production during the last decade from 2011 to 2022. India’s freshwater and brackish water-based culture systems contribute about 80–90% to aquaculture production. The country has a long history of developing and growing freshwater aquaculture. However, some technical, policy-based, and institutional constraints still exist, limiting the further development of the freshwater aquaculture industry. Nevertheless, there is a vast untapped resource, manpower, and institutional strength, which can help boost the country’s inland aquaculture. This chapter highlights the progress of freshwater or inland aquaculture in India in terms of resources, production, advancements, challenges, and prospects, during the last decade.