22-02-2021 | 12:52 PM
Seaweeds Mission
Context
The Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) has launched two new initiatives - Seaweed Mission and SAKSHAM (Shramik Shakti Manch) Job Portal.
Key Highlights
The Seaweed Cultivation is also called kelp farming. It is the practice of cultivating and harvesting seaweed. The process comprises management of naturally found batches in the simplest form. While in the advanced form, the process comprises fully controlling the life cycle of the algae.
As per the estimate of the department, if seaweed cultivation is done in 10 million hectares or in the 5% of the Exclusive Economic Zone area in India, it would help in providing employment to 50 million people, set up a new seaweed industry, contribute to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), enhance ocean productivity, sequester millions of tons CO2 and could produce bioethanol of 6.6 billion litres.
The Seaweeds Mission envisages activities for establishing model demonstration farms over one hectare for cultivation of economically important seaweeds in nearshore and onshore along the Indian coast.
Thus, with this objective, TIFAC will showcase a model, in collaboration with other in-line ministries, of the commercial farming of seaweeds and its processing. Seaweed Cultivation would help in boosting the economy.
The mission has Scope for attracting overseas investments in Indian seaweed sector and it can also contribute to the ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’
About Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC)
In order to undertake technology forecasting and assessment studies on a systematic and continuing basis, the Government of India launched the Technology Policy Statement (TPS) of 1983.
Subsequently, as per the recommendation of Technology Policy Implementation Committee (TPIC) in 1985, Cabinet approved the formation of TIFAC in 1986.
TIFAC was formed as a registered Society in 1988 under the Department of Science and Technology as an autonomous body.
It was mandated to assess the state-of-art of technology and set directions for future technological development in India in important socio-economic sectors.
