Study on the Impact of Fisheries Extension and Training Program in Fishery Village of Fourth Fisheries Project in Tarash Upazilla, Serajgonj

Abstract

The study was conducted in Tarash upazilla of Serajgonj District. Fisheries village extension strategy was launched where the fourth fisheries extension project targeted all pond owners in resource rich village. The most striking aspect of this concept was that no inputs were provided under extension program where the beneficiaries (pond owners) plan for themselves and find out ways and tools to execute their own programs. The extension agent merely plays the role of motivator and facilitator, through training and occasional visits provided to the pond owning community. The purpose of the study was to determine how effective a community based aquaculture extension approach was for the adoption of improved management practice. Socio-economic profiles of the selected farmers were presented in terms of age structure, household size, educational level, annual household cash income and status of previous training on management of small scale aquaculture. Among the fishery villages, the age group of less than or equal to 25 years found to be the highest. The largest household size was found to vary between 5 to 7 persons. The principal occupation of the most farmers was agriculture. Farmers of fishery village had the maximum size of greater than 20 to 50 decimal aquaculture resource (pond). Annual household cash income of farmers were observed to vary between taka 15,001 to 20,000. Before training and extension program the base line production of fishery villages of Manikchaper, Washin, Shorafpur (north), Shorafpur (west), Chandpur and Goalgram were 4.09 Kg/decimal, 5.55 Kg/decimal, 4.65 Kg/decimal, 5.44 Kg/decimal, 5.07 Kg/decimal and 4.96 Kg/decimal respectively. After extension and training program the production has increased to 10.19 Kg/decimal, 10.52 Kg/decimal, 9.98 Kg/decimal, 11.07 Kg/decimal, 10.09 Kg/decimal and 11.51 Kg/decimal respectively. The highest fish production has increased to 149.14% in the fishery village of Manikchaper.