Mission Navshakti, launched under the SCSP component of ICAR-NBFGR, has emerged as a transformative initiative that has empowered over 425 Scheduled Caste rural women through skill development in ornamental fish rearing and aquarium fabrication. Spread across four districts in Uttar Pradesh, Barabanki, Unnao, Sitapur, and Kanpur Dehat, the initiative has successfully introduced micro-entrepreneurship to women with minimal or no previous economic engagement. Through a hub-and-spoke model, women were trained, provided with exposure visits, and equipped with start-up kits including aquaria and inputs like fish feed and accessories. Women turned backyards into functional cemented ponds, unlocking new sources of livelihood while remaining embedded in their communities. Digital handholding via WhatsApp ensured continuity in learning and collective motivation. To strengthen market linkages, Navshakti: Aqua-Agri Business Incubation Centre (NABiC) has been established as a centralized platform for selling ornamental fish, aquaria, and locally crafted decorative items.What began in Dhankutti village with 50 women has now become a livelihood movement, expanding to Rajasthan and urban clusters of Lucknow. The impact is multidimensional economic, social, and psychological as women shift from subsistence farming to confident entrepreneurship, inspiring others in their communities. Mission Navshakti showcases how integrating traditional knowledge with modern techniques can reshape gender roles, foster resilience, and catalyse sustainable rural development through inclusive aquatic micro-enterprise.
Keywords: Mission Navshakti, ICAR–NBFGR, Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan, women’s empowerment, aquaculture entrepreneurship, ornamental fisheries, gender equity, sustainable rural livelihoods.