Performance Analysis of the Trained Fish Farmers and Gender Participation in Small-Scale Aquaculture

Abstract

An investigation on the socio-economic profile of the selected farmers, adoption of training messages, assessment of fish production after receiving training, and identification of the constraints to women’s participation in small-scale aquaculture was conducted. Farmers were selected from Jhenaidah Sadar Upazila under Jhenaidah District. Socio-economic profiles of the selected farmers were presented in terms of age structure, household size, educational level, household cropland holding, annual household cash income, and status of previous training on the management of small-scale aquaculture. The age group of 26–35 years was found to be the highest among male farmers (68%) and female farmers (72%). The largest household size was found to vary between 5–7 persons for men and women, respectively. The principal occupation of male farmers (42%) was agriculture, while all female farmers were engaged in household activities. Both male farmers (56%) and female farmers (64%) had 10–20 decimal aquaculture resource (pond) ownership. Household cropland holdings of 50–75 decimals were owned by 56% of male farmers, compared with 58% of female farmers. Annual household cash income of male farmers (74%) and female farmers (64%) was observed to vary between Tk. 20,001–25,000. All male and female farmers did not receive any training on the management of small-scale aquaculture before this study. The average fish production rate for male farmers was recorded as 4.14 ± 1.30 kg/decimal, while the production rate was 3.74 ± 1.24 kg/decimal for female farmers before training. However, after training, the average fish production rate was recorded as 7.80 ± 2.40 kg/decimal and 6.60 ± 2.30 kg/decimal for male and female farmers, respectively. There was also an increase in fish production of 88.88% for male farmers, compared with 76.47% for female farmers, from the baseline production. The age group of 26–35 years of both men (68%) and women (72%) adopted the training messages in equal proportion. Most male (74%) and female (64%) farmers having up to primary-level education adopted the training messages at a significant level. The maximum proportion of male farmers (42%) who were involved in agriculture and female farmers (100%) who were involved in household activities adopted the training messages almost equally. Annual household cash income of male farmers (40%) and female farmers (44%) varied between Tk. 25,001–30,000. Both male and female farmers in this income group also adopted the training messages at a significant level. Despite various constraints, such as dependence on male family members for decisions and inputs for fish culture, religious taboos, bearing children during training sessions, low levels of education, lack of productive jobs, malnutrition, and inability to contact the Fisheries Office, women farmers adopted the training messages. Their fish production performance after training was observed to be significant compared with male farmers who did not have such constraints.