New Delhi, February 17 (IANS) – In an effort to provide fishermen with an e-market platform, the Department of Fisheries is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) on February 19. The MoU will be signed in the presence of Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala and Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying L Murugan at Krishi Bhawan in the national capital.
The officials stated that the collaboration between the Department of Fisheries and ONDC aims to provide a digital platform for fisherfolks, fish farmers producers organization, entrepreneurs, SHGs, fishermen cooperatives, and other stakeholders in the fisheries sector to access wider markets, thus expanding their reach and potential customer base. The partnership will facilitate the implementation of technology-driven solutions and improve efficiency, collectivization, and competitiveness of small-scale producers and marketers in the fisheries sector.
ONDC, which is a unique platform for e-marketing, is expected to play a significant role in connecting maximum FFPOs and other fishermen cooperatives, thereby reducing reliance on intermediaries and leading to higher profits for fishers and lower prices for consumers. In addition, the platform will provide a scale of economy to the marginal fishermen engaged in scattered business through a common digital platform for their products.
Moreover, the adoption of digital technical solutions is expected to bring about various benefits for the fisheries industry, such as enhanced trust, reduced transaction costs, increased market reach, improved transparency, increased competitiveness, innovation, and employment generation. The ONDC network will also facilitate seamless integration for harnessing the benefits of collectivization between producers, processors, and distributors within the fisheries sector, enabling efficient supply chain management, value chains, and market access.
Apart from these, the collaboration will also facilitate capacity building and raise awareness through educational workshops for MSMEs, start-ups, SHGs, small and marginal fishermen, FFPOs, fishers, and market participants in the fisheries sector. ONDC, which is incorporated as a Section 8 company, is an initiative by DPIIT, Ministry of commerce, and industry, aiming at promoting open networks for all aspects of the exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks.
As of now, the ONDC network has recorded more than 6.3 million transactions in the month of November’23 across 600+ cities, with sellers and service providers spread across 500+ cities. Additionally, over 3000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and around 400 Self-Help Groups (SHGs), micro-entrepreneurs, and social sector enterprises have been onboarded on the network.
In conclusion, the collaboration between the Department of Fisheries and ONDC is expected to revolutionize the fisheries sector by providing a digital platform for stakeholders, reducing reliance on intermediaries, and bringing about numerous benefits for the fisheries industry.
