Northeast India is witnessing a significant push towards fostering entrepreneurship in the fisheries and aquaculture sector through the Business Incubation Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture (BICFA) at Guwahati Biotech Park (GBP). This initiative, funded by the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana under the Ministry of Fisheries, Government of India, is actively working to build capacity and cultivate a new generation of aquaculture entrepreneurs in the region.
Bula Choudhury, Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator at Guwahati Biotech Park, recently highlighted the project's objectives and progress. Speaking to Business North East (BNE), Choudhury stated that BICFA, which commenced operations last year, is primarily focused on running diverse capacity-building programs. Recent activities include an aquaculture techniques program organised in collaboration with Cotton University.
"Biotech Park is mainly working on the entrepreneurship development sector in biotech and allied areas," said Choudhury, emphasising the utilisation of the Northeast's abundant bioresources. She further pointed out the substantial infrastructure at GBP, funded by the Government of Assam and the Government of India, and the need to empower individuals to leverage these facilities.
The core mission of BICFA is to encourage people to embrace entrepreneurial ventures in biotech and related fields, including fisheries. Through their programs, individuals gain technical knowledge that enables them to either start their own businesses or impart their skills to others, thereby expanding the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Northeast.
Choudhury acknowledged the relatively nascent stage of entrepreneurial ventures in the biotech and allied sectors in the Northeast. Guwahati Biotech Park, established in 2011 as the first of its kind in the region with support from IIT Guwahati, has been actively working to change this landscape. She expressed satisfaction with the increasing awareness of GBP and its initiatives like BICFA, a significant improvement from the limited recognition the park had in its initial years.
When asked about the facilities provided to entrepreneurs and trainees, Choudhury elaborated on the "Talent Search Program for Innovative Ideas and Innovative Proposals." This program, now under the BICFA umbrella, offers grants from ministry funding to promising technical proposals aimed at improving the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the region.
Additionally, BICFA provides access to essential equipment and the ready-to-use modular laboratory spaces at GBP, allowing individuals to develop their ideas from conceptualisation to potential product development. Beyond financial and infrastructural support, BICFA also focuses on providing technical guidance and fostering crucial networking opportunities.
Moreover, Choudhury detailed the diverse capacity-building training programs organised by BICFA. These programs cater to a wide range of participants, from school students to retired individuals, covering topics from basic aquarium making and fish keeping to the value addition of fish products. BICFA has partnered with various institutions, including Roha College of Fisheries and the Department of Zoology at Guwahati University, to deliver these comprehensive training sessions.
Choudhury also addressed a key challenge in the Northeast: the lack of networking and information sharing. She emphasised the importance of disseminating information about initiatives like BICFA and the available infrastructure to ensure proper utilisation.
ALSO READ: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Rozgar Mela by distributing over 51,000 appointment Letters
Looking towards the future, Choudhury outlined the long-term strategic goals of BICFA. "As we are very new, and only last year we have started, our first aim is that if even 50 per cent of the people who undergo our capacity building programs establish their own units in any segment, we will feel successful," she stated.
The vision includes enabling local entrepreneurs to supply native fish to markets beyond the Northeast, including the aquarium sector and the food fish industry. BICFA is diligently tracking the progress of its trainees to understand their challenges and successes, which will be crucial in reporting success stories to the funding ministry.
Choudhury acknowledged that entrepreneurship may not be inherently ingrained in the region's culture to the same extent as in other states. Therefore, BICFA's initial focus is on raising awareness and facilitating necessary networking connections for aspiring entrepreneurs to succeed. The long-term goal is to see a significant portion of their trainees establishing successful businesses and expanding their reach beyond the region within the next three years.
FIRST Business Portal addressing the potential of business capability of North East Region.
