Fish, which is the cheapest source of protein, can be a solution for eradicating hunger and malnutrition, according to Shivakumar Magada, professor at the Mangalore-based College of Fisheries.

Speaking at the inauguration of the World Food Day celebrations in Mangalore on Thursday, he said that a healthy India can be created if the fish and fishery products are made available to the common man at an affordable price.

According to the World Health Organisation recommendation, the per capita fish consumption should be 18 kg. It is 11.3 kg in India, he said.

The country has aquatic resources such as 2.02 million sq km of exclusive economic zone, 3.15 million hectares of reservoirs, 1.97 lakh km of rivers and canals, 2.35 million hectares of ponds and lakes, 8,129 km of coast line, and 1.3 million hectares of oxbow and derelict water bodies, he said.

“Since arable land for agriculture is reducing, we need to look at augmenting fish production in all these natural aquatic systems to suffice the dietary requirement of the growing population,” Magada said.

Referring to the World Food Day theme for 2014 – ‘Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth’ – he said this is a strong signal that the international community recognises the important contribution of family farmers to world food security.

Stating that family farming is linked to national and global food security, he said it is the predominant form of agriculture in the food production sector in developing and developed countries.

KM Shankar, Dean of College of Fisheries, who presided over the programme, said that there is a need to strengthen food-producing sectors such as fisheries, horticulture and agriculture.

Though food is essential for life, many people are moving away from food producing sectors. In such a situation, there is a need to give more focus on these sectors, he added.

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