Fisheries extension

What is Fisheries extension?

Education plays a significant role in sensitizing people as it changes the knowledge, attitude and beliefs inculcated in them over generations. Extension education is a non formal type of education and it aims at educating people encompassing all sections of the society. Basically, it deals with knowledge and skill transfer from higher level Institutions to the grass root level. Fisheries extension is sectoral extension education system that facilitates Transfer of Technology (ToT) from agricultural technological institutions like Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), etc to farmers and relevant stakeholders of the fiseries sector in the country. An exclusive extension network in the country facilitates this process of transfer of technology to the last mile.

Why we need Fisheries extension? 

1. To demystify technologies in a manner that is easily consumable by farmers for better adoption by the last mile users. 
2. Facilitate dissemination of technologies developed at the research stations to the farmers’ level.
3. Extension agents, usually, functionaries working at Department of Fisheries/NGOs function as change agents. Change agents essentially are devoted to changing the perception of fishers with respect to production technologies, adoption of particular farm practices etc. 
4. In the wake of climate change, extension plays a lead role in equiping fishers in sustainable fishing activities. 
5. To facilitate community level participation in all fisheries management or conservation projects. 
6. Promote grassroot innovations to identify the persistent problems and to find sustainable solutions to those problems, that is actually led by the farmers themselves.

Usually, people consider fisheries extension for the 1st and 2nd needs mentioned above, that can be considered as a misconception. In the present century, the need for fisheries extension should be largely focussed around 4th, 5th and 6th needs mentioned above because of existing challenges like global warming, food security and unemployment. 

Scenarios in Fisheries extension 

Fisheries extension falls under two scenarios, namely, fisheries extension education and fisheries extension service. Extension education can be achieved through higher level institutions like State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs). Extension service is done through an extension agency by means of extension agents. A fisher is surrounded by resources in the form of seed, feed, other inputs and market. An effective fisheries extension service agency helps the fishers in identifying the correct resources necessary for the farmers in a timely manner and helps them in excluding the market intermediaries to a great extent.

Extension efforts 

Extension efforts in our country can be basically classified as pre-independence efforts as well as post-independence efforts. The difference between the two is that pre-independence extension efforts were mostly sponsored by influential persons and NGOs. Examples of pre-independence efforts are Firka Development Scheme, Sriniketan project, Grow More Food Campaign etc. The post-independence extension efforts were done through the Central and State Governments. Some examples are Community Development Programme, National Extension Service, National Agricultural Technology Project, National Agricultural Innovation Project etc. 

Now, the extension efforts are channelled through the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and Intergovernmental Organizations like NGOs and they are sponsored through Central and State Governments. As there are so many extension efforts put forth by Central and State Governments, here we will focus on the ATMA program that is initiated by the Central Government and on the extension efforts focused by the State government through the Department of Fisheries. 

ATMA extension efforts

Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) comes under a centrally sponsored scheme “Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms”. Under ATMA, a shift is observed with respect to gender concerns and extension service delivery through a bottom-up approach and State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institutes (SAMETIs) are created in order to provide training to middle level extension functionaries in all the states. 

Farm Information Advisory Committee (FIAC) in each block act as the platform for meeting between line department officials and farmers for preparing plans and implementing such plans. FIAC ias an aggregate of members in Block Technology Team (BTT) and Farm Advisory Committee (FAC). BTT is constituted by officers from agriculture and allied departments like fisheries, horticulture, animal husbandry, dairy, forestry and sericulture. FAC consists of farmers under different socio-economic strata in a block. The FIAC prepares Block Action Plans (BAPs), that contains extension activities in detail, which is to be implemented in a block. BAP after being approved by FAC is forwarded to ATMA Management Committee (MC), who ensures that these plans are consistent with Strategic Research Extension Plan (SREP) and checks for its feasibility technical-wise and administrative-wise. Participatory methodologies like PRA facilitate the preparation of SREP, that contain information on existing farming systems and research extension gaps in a district. BAP after reviewed by the MC is forwarded to ATMA Governing Body (GB), for its approval. FAC monitores BAP and also provide feedback regarding its implementation to BTT. At the village level, Farmer Organisations (FOs) are encouraged, that can evolve into Commodity Associations and other such groups at block and village level. Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) and Women Interest Groups (WIGs) at village level prepare group action plans at village which can be later incorporated into BAPs.

The fisheries extension strategies that are promoted through ATMA are training, demonstrations, exposure visits, rewards and incentives, farmer scientist interactions. 

Key Extension efforts under the Department of Fisheries 

Under the Kerala State Government, there are schemes that aim at the welfare of fishers. Some examples are Janakeeya Matsya Krishi (JMK) scheme, One paddy, one fish scheme, Subiksha scheme etc. Fish farmers Development Agency (FFDA) started functioning with the objective of promoting scientific fish culture. FFDA is an agency under the Department of Fisheries with District Collector as Executive Director and District Panchayat President as Chairman, who implements the various aquaculture projects of the Government namely, Janakeeya Matsya Krishi. The schemes are facilitated through aquaculture promoters (inland) and Sagarmitras (marine) at the grass root level, and through project co-ordinators who monitor each project scientifically. Schemes like Aquatic Animal Health Management (through doing diagnostic tests like PCR, Microbiological test, Water quality test, Seed quality test), public pond stocking, ranching exists for promoting aquaculture. Kisan Credit Card is issued to both fishermen and fish farmers to satisfy their short-term credit requirements, and operational cost can be availed under this scheme. Distribution of tablets to children of fishermen who study in schools and colleges through Jyothirgamaya scheme is an ongoing program in the district. Distribution of sea safety equipment like GPS, VMS etc., insulated box, square mesh cod end for promoting sustainable fishing are the notable schemes in marine sector. Savings cum Relief Scheme (SCRS) is implemented for the welfare of registered fishermen for the purpose of providing financial assistance during the lean months of June, July and August. For fishermen registered with Kerala Fisheries Welfare Fund Board, the department is implementing housing and sanitation projects, in addition to providing educational assistance to their children. The Fisheries Department is going forward with the Punargeham rehabilitation project through the motivators to fulfil the dream of fisher families living within 50 m of the tidal area in the coastal areas by providing them with houses. Inland and marine patrolling is on and illegal nets and traps are confiscated and offenders are either warned or fined according to the inland and marine fishing act. At present, the department is aiming to increase aquaculture productivity through implementation of projects like Model Fresh water fish farms, Recirculatory Aquaculture System and GIFT Tilapia Farming. The Inland Fisheries & Aquaculture Act 2010 makes it mandatory for farmers to register their fish farms, the provisions of the Act are being implemented by the department staff. Vembanad lake conservation project give thrust to conservation aspects and ensure sustainable exploitation of fishery resources. They are also involved in capacity building programs (eg. Training for Biofloc culture method, Veetuvalappile matsyakrishi). All the scheme results are published through handbook on field level aquaculture development, farmer’s handbook, farmer success stories etc. The department also offers technical support for fish culture and conducts training programmes in “Scientific Fish Culture”.

Conclusion

All the professionals in fisheries sector are of the belief that Fisheries extension primarily does the role of extending the farm level information from higher level institutions to the farmers or fishermen. However, apart from this role, considering the pertinent challenges of this century like, global warming and food security, extension agents can play an important role in changing the perception of farmers with respect to sustainable fishing practices and conservation of resources. We need to understand the fact that farmers/fishers lie at the centre of any fishing activity, whether at the culture or capture sector. The fishers can play a main role in improving production as they can better understand the farm/fishing level circumstances. The fisheries extension personnel need to exploit this circumstance by involving the fishers in decision making and contacting them through resource persons who can function as change agents and who can change farmer’s perception with respect to culture/technology/conservation so that problems like food security, drudgery and employment may be solved to some extent. Schemes like ATMA can be considered as bottom-up participatory approach that involves farmers right from the decision- making level that actually helps to solve the farmers’ problems based on the farming circumstances. Both Central and state Governments are actually into solving fishers’ problems through implementation of schemes that concentrates on their welfare and livelihood.