Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Impacts of Aquaculture Extension Activities on Female Fish Farmers in Different Areas of Bangladesh

Mirza Ataur Rahman
Department of Fisheries, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Md. Ghulam Mustafa*
Department of Fisheries, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Benoy Kumar Barman
The WorldFish Center, Bangladesh and South Asia Office, Banani, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was an initiative to assess the impacts of training supports under aquaculture extension activities provided to the female farmers involved in pond fish culture in comparison to the male farmers from different areas of Bangladesh. It is also identified that constraining factors affect the participation of female farmers in fish culture after receiving training supports under aquaculture extension program. The mean baseline fish production by the female farmers was 3.8 ± 1.2 kg/dec and after getting training supports it increased to 6.8 ± 2.1 kg/dec, which was significantly (p < 0.001) higher (78%) in comparison to their baseline. Overall, there was increased fish production in the ponds of the trained female farmers in comparison to their baseline year (before trained) fish production in ponds; however, their fish production was lower than that of the male farmers who received the similar sort of supports. Different factors were related to the low level of involvement of females in fish culture and the low level of fish production was related to households, social and cultural reasons. Females were busy in managing usual household works especially taking care of their children and having limited time to make regular contact with extension officers. Low level of literacy, socio-cultural barriers, higher dependency on their male counterparts, their less ability to take decision, and comparatively their poor health condition are factor constraints for their active involvement in aquaculture.

Keywords: Extension, Technology, Constraint, Malnutrition, Significant, Monitoring

Location:

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

The study was an initiative to assess the impacts of aquaculture extension and training supports provided to female farmers involved in fish culture in their ponds in comparison to their male counterparts in different study areas of Bangladesh, secondly, to identify the constraints and potentials of females in participating aquaculture activities.

Methodology:

In this study, a total of 20 villages was selected which are located in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Khulna and Barisal divisions and four villages under one Upazila were selected from each Division. From these villages, 240 farmers were selected including 120 trained farmers (received training from DOF under Fourth Fisheries Project, FFP, 1999 – 2006) and 120 non-trained farmers. Again, within the trained farmers, 86 were males and 34 were females. Under the FFP training program both theoretical and practical knowledge on pre-stocking, stocking and post-stocking management techniques were offered in three days long courses. Each of the courses covered knowledge about deweeding, dike repairing, removal of predator/unwanted species, liming and prestocking fertilization; then species selection and stocking number determination, food ratio and feeding schedule preparation; finally, post-stocking fertilization, harvesting techniques and hazard management. The trained male and female farmers carried out fish culture in their respective ponds. A structured questionnaire was prepared to collect baseline information of the farmers and a monitoring questionnaire survey was conducted for the farmers to collect the information regarding fish production and other socioeconomic data. The questionnaire developed were piloted and finalized thereafter after getting feedbacks. With assistance from the local UFOs, the baseline information of farmers was collected from 15 November 2004 to 15 February 2005. The monitoring survey was carried out for a year from March 2005 to February 2006 on monthly intervals. The baseline and monitoring data collected were then checked for accuracy and clarity, and any confusion arisen there from was corrected during the study period. The information regarding constrains of female participation in small-scale aquaculture in the study areas were also collected from the trained female farmers at the end of the monitoring data collection period i.e. during the month of February 2006. Constraints of the female data were collected through focus group discussion (FGD). The data were statistically analysed. For data entry and analysis Microsoft Excel & SPSS Version 11.5 were used following Imam (2005), Hasan (2002) and Mian and Miyan (1984).

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Zool. 39(2): 213-221, 2011

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Present study suggested that the production of fish per unit area of pond attained almost double through the participation of the trained female farmers, which was 78 percent increase in terms of baseline production. So, it could be concluded that the imparted training among the female farmers brought a positive impact on overall fish production against the traditional system. At the same time, the economic condition of these rural women was improved. Finally, it can be said that instead of stated constraints, fish culture sector can also get momentum through the participation of trained rural females. Acknowledgements: This paper was a part of Ph.D. thesis of the first author. The study was conducted with financial assistance from the Ministry of Science and Communication Technology, Government of the People’ s Republic of Bangladesh which is acknowledged gratefully. The authors also greatly acknowledge the supports provided by Dhaka University and WorldFish Center, South Asia Office.

Knowledge Management: Journal