e-SANTA

• 14 Apr 2021

Why in News

Recently the Union Commerce and Industry Minister has inaugurated an electronic platform named e-SANTA, which will connect aqua farmers and the buyers.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • The term e-SANTA was coined for the web portal, meaning Electronic Solution for Augmenting NaCSA farmers' Trade in Aquaculture.
  • e-SANTA is a digital bridge to end the market divide and will act as an alternative marketing tool between farmers & buyers by eliminating middlemen.
  • The farmers can freely list their produce and quote their price while the exporters have the freedom to list their requirements and also to choose the products based on their requirements such as desired size, location, harvest dates etc.
  • The Platform is available in many languages, which will help the local population.
• Significance:
  
  • e-SANTA will RAISE income, lifestyle, self-reliance, quality levels, traceability, and provide new options for aqua farmers by:
    
    • Reducing Risk
    • Awareness of Products & Markets
    • Increase in Income
    • Shielding Against Wrong Practice
    • Ease of Processes
  • It will enable the farmers and buyers to have greater control over the trade and enables them to make informed decisions.
  • It will provide a cashless, contactless and paperless electronic trade platform between farmers and exporters.
  • e-SANTA can become a tool to advertise collectively the kind of products the buyers, fishermen & fish producing organisations are harvesting.
  • It will help people in India & internationally to know about the products availability and has the potential of becoming an auction platform in future.

National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture

• National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) is an extension arm of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Ministry of Commerce & Industry Govt. of India.
• The objectives of NaCSA are to encourage and uplift the small and marginal farmers through organization of clusters and maintaining Best Management Practices in shrimp culture.
• The primary advantage of cluster approach to shrimp farming is that it contributes to substantial reduction in cost of production.
• It also enables participating farmers to organize:
  
  • The schedule of farm operations,
  • Quality seed procurement,
  • Simultaneous stocking,
  • Water exchange
  • Harvesting regimes

Source: PIB