The spotlight was firmly on the Andaman & Nicobar Islands at the National Conference on the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, where the Union Territory’s progress in cooperative-led development was showcased by the Lieutenant Governor during a keynote address.
Addressing delegates and policymakers, the Lieutenant Governor drew national attention to the success of the Tribal Development Cooperative Society in Nicobar, particularly its recent milestone achievement: the Geographical Indication (GI) tagging of Virgin Coconut Oil produced by the Nicobarese community. The product was one among seven island-based items recently awarded the GI tag. This milestone also featured in the first 2025 edition of the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat broadcast, underscoring its national recognition.
The event, presided over by the Union Minister of Cooperation, served as a platform for state and Union Territory leaders to highlight cooperative successes and challenges. The Lieutenant Governor thanked the central leadership for giving the islands’ achievements a voice in national forums and acknowledged the importance of continued cooperative support in strengthening local economies.
However, the address also took a critical turn when the issue of land-use change in Andaman was raised. The Lieutenant Governor expressed concern over the widespread diversion of agricultural land to commercial use through Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals. He noted that this shift has already resulted in a 40% reduction in agricultural land, with only 2.5% of the total land area currently designated for agricultural use. The decline has had cascading effects on farming, poultry, dairy, and other rural livelihood sectors that traditionally fall under the cooperative umbrella.
He stressed that these developments, if left unchecked, could further undermine the region’s cooperative growth, especially in sectors like animal husbandry and agriculture, which rely heavily on land continuity and sustainability.
The address also acknowledged recent strides in the fisheries sector. The Lieutenant Governor thanked the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for identifying the islands as a Tuna Cluster and for supporting various initiatives such as the distribution of motorised fishing boats, deep-sea trawler schemes, shrimp farming, and fisheries exports—all executed through cooperatives.
The conference also heard appreciation for the establishment of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and the Export Inspection Agency (EIA) office in Sri Vijaya Puram. These institutions are expected to facilitate direct marine product exports to Southeast Asia, a move that could open new revenue streams for island-based cooperative fisheries and exporters.
With these multi-sectoral efforts converging under the cooperative framework, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are poised to become a model for sustainable cooperative-led development, balancing tradition with economic aspiration.
