India’s seaweed sector is an emerging area for the development of the rural economy. A growing interest of the government and subsequent announcement of a ‘multi-purpose seaweed park’ in Tamil Nadu will boost the seaweed farming and related industries. India aims to increase seaweed production to 1,150,000 metric tons from the current production levels of 2,500 metric tons in the next five years. SMART AGRIPOST in collaboration with ICAR-CMFRI and industry associations, is pleased to organize a two-day virtual conference and exhibition, Seaweed India 2021 on 26-27 August 2021, to connect all stakeholders. The webinar will help review and deliberate on the opportunities and challenges in the emerging seaweed sector in India with regard to its various dimensions.

Join us on 8 October 2021 for the Professor Sena De Silva Memorial Oration. The topic for the oration is "Aquaculture and marine resources exploitation: reframing the issues", presented by Professor Govanni Turchini of Deakin University and organised by the Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The oration will be held at 05:00 GMT (15:00 AEST) via Zoom. To participate, please use the following link: Professor Sena De Silva Memorial Oration 2021.

In this issue:

Integrated taxonomy, conservation and sustainable development: Multiple facets of biodiversity; A note on 100th birth anniversary of the late Dr Hiralal Chaudhuri; Aquaculture field schools supporting mangroves for climate change adaptation of Indonesian milkfish-shrimp farmers; An insight to red tilapia breeding and culture: A farmer advisory; Aquaculture for livelihoods and food security in North-western India; NACA Newsletter.

Over the last five decades, over 30 million people along Java’s north coast have experienced subsidence and subsequent soil erosion. In 2015, Building with Nature Indonesia (BwNI-Demak) started a coastal protection project in 10 communities of nine coastal villages of Demak regency. The protection measures introduced included the use of permeable structures (dams) that successfully capture sediment and support natural recovery of mangroves, and aquaculture field schools, to train small-scale farmers on good aquaculture practices such as low external inputs sustainable aquaculture, associated mangrove aquaculture and multi-trophic srhimp aquaculture.

Shanghai Ocean University is offering master and PhD scholarships for aquaculture and hydrobiology-related majors interested in studying rice-fish farming in the Lancang Mekong River area. The scholarship programme is open to nationals of Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam who are less than 35 years old and have a bachelor degree with good academic record. The scholarships include full tuition fee waiver, accommodation, living allowance and medical insurance. Applications close 30 May 2021.