About the Project

Lead Institution: SAARC Development Fund and ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), India

Implementing Agencies:

• Department of Fisheries, Bangladesh
• National Research and Development Centre for Aquaculture, Bhutan
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India
• Central Fisheries Promotion and Conservation Center, Nepal
• National Aquaculture Development Authority, Sri Lanka

Funding Partner: SAARC Development Fund (SDF)

Total Investment: USD 3.97 million

SDF Grant: USD 3.23 million

In-kind Co-financing: USD 739,109

Project Duration: 3 Years

Beneficiaries: 120,000+ rural households across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka (30% women beneficiaries).

Project Context – Fish remains a vital protein source in South Asia, contributing over 60% of animal protein intake in several countries. With aquaculture growing steadily (5–11% annual growth in recent years) and the sector contributing significantly to agricultural GDP, strengthening small-scale aquaculture has become a regional priority.

AquaLivelihood was designed in response to two urgent needs:

• Enhancing livelihoods of smallholder fish farmers.
• Addressing malnutrition through sustainable aquaculture and fish-based food systems.

Project Objectives:

• Strengthen small-scale fish farmers’ productivity and income.
• Enhance regional food and nutrition security.
• Promote women’s participation in aquaculture.
• Facilitate cross-border knowledge exchange and capacity development.
• Align regional policies and foster collaboration among SAARC Member States.

Key Components:

• Survey and Technology Identification
• Mapping aquaculture inputs (feed, seed, infrastructure).
• Promoting inclusive and climate-resilient practices.
• Infrastructure Development
• Establishing pilot-scale feed mills and fish hatcheries.
• Strengthening local supply chains for aquaculture inputs.
• Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing
• Regional and national-level training programs.
• On-farm demonstrations.
• Strong focus on gender equity and technology dissemination.

Geographic Coverage: The project will be implemented in selected locations across five SAARC Member States:

Bangladesh: Mymensingh, Narsingdi, Bogura, Bagerhat, Satkhira

Bhutan: Lhamoizhingkha, Chekiling, Sarpang, Samdrup Jongkhar, Pemagatsel

India: Odisha, West Bengal, Punjab, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu

Nepal: Janakpur, Bhairahwa, Chitwan, Morang, Jhapa, Sunsari

Sri Lanka: North Central and North Western Provinces

Expected Outcomes

• Improved productivity and income security for small-scale fish farmers.
• Strengthened resilience of rural food systems.
• Greater participation of women in aquaculture enterprises.
• Shared regional knowledge base and policy alignment.
• Enhanced access to affordable and nutritious fish for rural households.

Next Steps

Following the launch, a two-day Inception Workshop will bring together implementing partners from all five countries to:

• Establish a shared understanding of project goals.
• Align implementation strategies.
• Ensure a coordinated and impactful rollout across the region.