One among the four transfer of technology (TOT)systems in India The first-line extension system of the ICAR having an institutional extension role accelerates the process of transfer of technology. In order to serve its first-line role effectively, CMFRI carried out an Extension project entitled 'Planned change in a coastal village—a model for first-line extension programme' from 1987 to 1990. Kandakkadavu, 20 kms away from Ernakulam district in the southwest direction was selected as the suitable area for implementation. Of 395 families, 165 families were contacted for the implementation of the project. The field extension programme was launched keeping in view three main objectives (i) optimum utilization of available resources (ii) extension education to bring awareness of appropriate technologies and development programmes and (iii) to show ways and means for generation of supplementary source of income utilising technologies developed by CMFRI. Programmes were launched to disseminate scientific prawn culture, prawn seed collection, fish processing and to improve the standard of life

Gupta, Jancy

Srinath, Krishna

CMFRI Digital Repository

FIRSTLINE EXTENSION PROGRAMME AT KANDAKKADAVU, ERNAKULAM Jancy Gupta and Krishna Srinath Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin - 682 031 There are four transfer of technology (TOT) systems in India, each having its own approach and thrusts on freedom from hunger and poverty. They are (1) the first-line extension system of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, (ii) National extension system of the Union-Ministry of Agriculture, (ill) Rural development programme of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and (iv) the extension efforts of the non-government organi-zations (NGOS) (voluntary organizations). The first-line extension system of the ICAR has basically an institutional extension role, a cata-lytic role, a supportive or complimentary role as well as pressure role to accelerate the process of transfer of technology. It serves as a window of educational and research institutions through which the extension agencies as well as the farmers can gaze the latest agricultural techno-logies (C. Prasad, Agricultural Extension Services, 40 years of Agricultural Research and Education in India, ICAR, New Delhi, 1989, 238-267). In order to serve its first-line role effectively, CMFRI carried out an Extension project entitled 'Planned change in a coastal village—a model for first-line extension programme' under the leader-ship of the first author from 1987 to 1990. The second author and technical staff of KVK and Fishery Economic and Extension Division were associated in the project. This extension project as a model of first-line extension programme was directed towards, opening the avenues of fishery technologies to extension agencies as well as fish-ermen through the process of planned change. The planned change derives from a purposeful decision to effect improvements in a social system and is achieved with the help of professional guidance. Without motivating the people for a change, their participation in programme plan-ning and execution will be limited. Area of operation After doing a preliminary survey of fishing villages in and around Ernakulam, Kandakka-davu, coming under Chellanam Panchayat, Palluruthy Block of Ernakulam district was selected as the suitable area for implementation of the project. It is about 20 kms away from Ernakulam in the southwest direction. The population is dominated by fishermen. Western side of this narrow sketch of land is the Arabian Sea and south-eastern side, vast stretch of backwater area where traditional prawn culture is being done. Profile of the target population Kandakkadavu village has 395 families. Because of practical difficulties only 165 families were contacted for the implementation of the project. The project work started with a bench-mark survey of these families, to gather informa-tion on the resources available and to understand the socio-economic profile of the people and their felt needs. The human resource of the village was found consisting of a population predominated by youths. It was observed that 46 per cent of the population had education upto primary class and 30 per cent upto higher secondary (Table 1). Land holding per household was found very low, 90 per cent having land less than 5 cents (Table 2). Area suitable for aquaculture worked out at about 100 acres which was usually leased out. While men were found engaged in fishing and related jobs, 95 per cent of the women were unemployed. In this area, duckery and poultry were predominant while cattle rearing was scarce. TABLE 1. Educational level Category Number of persons Percentage Illiterate 5 0.56 Uneducated 54 6.01 Primary 411 45.73 Secondary 269 29.92 Higher secondary 129 14.35 Matriculate & above 20 2.22 Pre-degree & above 11 1.12 Total 899 100 7 TABLE 2. Land holding in cents (1 cents = 40 sqm) Category No land 3-5 cents 6-10 cents above 10 cents Total Number 2 9 0 7 1 2 165 Percentage 1.21 54 .55 43 .03 1.21 100 About 100 fishing craft were owned by 65 families surveyed which included plank built boats and dugout canoes. The survey revealed that 27% of families operated dugout canoes and 57% plank built boats, collectively owned by a group of 20 or more fishermen. The most widely used fishing nets by the villagers was Thanguvala followed by Neetuvala, Veesuvala and Chudavala. Presently they aspire to own ringnets which they perceive most effective. The main problems identified were lack of marketing infrastructure, low price during peak season, lack of fish processing facilities, lack of employment facilities during lean season and lack of credit facilities for purchasing fishing equipments. The develop-mental potential for the selected families was worked out and presented in Table 5. Field level extension programmes The field extension programme was launched keeping in view three main objectives (i) optimum utilization of available resources (ii) extension education to bring awareness of appropriate tech-nologies and development programmes and (iii) to show ways and means for generation of supple-mentary source of income utilising technologies developed by CMFRI. A village level meeting was called prior to starting of the field work. Details of the project were explained to them in the meeting which was followed by a discussion regarding the prevailing situation and where they ought to reach. They were made to identify their TABLE 3. Developmental Potential Persons attended any training programmes Having Interest to undertake scientific prawn culture Willingness to take credit Response Frequency Categories 1 Attended JNot attended •> Interested Not interested 1 Willing JNot willing Interest to send women -i Interested for fisheries training jNot interested 10 155 85 80 120 45 112 53 Percentage 6.06 93.94 51.52 48.48 72.73 27.27 67.88 32.12 own felt and unfelt needs and the solution possible in the framework of the project. It was made clear to them that this was merely an educational programme and hence they would not expect any direct monetary benefits. The intention was that clients should never come forward to participate in the project for immediate monetary benefits but only for acquiring knowl-edge and skill. A fishermen forum was estab-lished in the village and office bearers were elected from them. This ensured peoples participation in the programme. Periodical meetings of fishermen forum were held to discuss ongoing programmes and future course of action. The office bearers and members of the Forum being community actnalizers were of great help for the smooth running of the project. Extension education programmes were launched to dissemi-nate scientific prawn culture, prawn seed collec-tion, fish processings and to improve the standard of life. TABLE 4. Extension programme in the village Programme Frequ-ency No. of partici-pants 1. 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6. 7. 7. 7. 7. 8. 8. 8. 8. 9 . 10. Seminar Exhibition Field day & m a s s contact programme Field trip Film show Group meetings Training : 1 Fish processing 2 Prawn cul ture 3 Prawn seed collection D e m o n s t r a t i o n : 1 Small scale p r a w n hatchery 2 Scientific prawn cul ture in homes teads 3 Prawn seed collection 1 1 1 1 3 9 2 2 2 1 1 2 Linkage programme Throughout (linking developmental t he project agencies with local people) Fishery advisory progra- ,, ,, mme for, p rawn cul ture, fish cul ture, prawn nursery, fish cap ture , ma in tenance of craft and gear a n d conser-vation of fishery resources 150 500 1000 35 -200 4 0 42 3 4 250 1000 50 100 (App.) (App.) (App.) (App.) (App.) 8 The various field level programmes imple-mented in the village are discussed below. Diversified products from low cost fish This programme was intended to convert low cost fishes into value added products and to help in utilizing the fish for getting better returns when any bumper catch occur. The training pro-grammes were conducted in each quarter of the project for groups of selected members from the project area. It included lecture-cum-demonstra-tion on preparation offish pickles, cutlets, wafers and dried fish. During peak season, fishermen were forced to sell fish at throw away price because of its perishable nature. It was felt that a group of people could be trained in the preparation of diversified fish products and whenever availabil-ity of fish is less this group could engage in other activities like prawn seed collection, prawn farming, horticulture etc. The trained people were also given guidelines on how to start the commercial production on cooperative basis. Prawn seed collection With the introduction of scientific prawn culture, there is a great demand for prawn seeds. As it cannot be met with the existing hatcheries, the seeds have to be collected either from surf or from shallow back water areas. Earlier work at CMFRI had already shown availability of prawn seeds in large quantity in the back waters of Chellanam. Taking this into consideration, training programmes including lecture-cum-demonstration of prawn seed collection were organised. Very good response was obtained for this training programme as people were till then totally unaware of the scientific method of prawn seed collection, which is a very profitable enterprise. The economics of prawn seed collection worked out by Dr. M. M. Thomas et al. has shown a net income of Rs. 1,945 per unit, comprising three persons, for the season mid-December to mid-February assuming 10,000 seeds to be collected per day for 24 days in the season. Scientific prawn culture Training and field trip The fisherfolk under the project were trained in scientific prawn culture through lecutres, demonstrations and field trips. Classes Fig. 1. Group discussion with fisherwomen in the village. Fig. 2. A view of the village level meeting in connection with stocking of prawns. Fig. 3. Demonstration of small-scale prawn hatchery. Fig. 4. Training in collection of prawn seeds from surf. 9 Fig. 5. Stocking of prawns being done by the President, Chellanam Panchayat. on prawn culture handled by the technical experts of Krishi Vigyan Kendra generated great interest and awareness among clients. Afield trip arranged to show them the demonstration farms at Narakkal created further interest in adoption of the technology. Demonstration of scientific prawn culture in homestead water canals It was observed that water canals extending from the back water through homesteads are left Fig. 6. Harvest of prawns in progress. mostly unutilized. In order to make people realise that these water canals can be used for prawn culture and thus supplement their regular income, demonstration of scientific prawn culture was carried out in one of such canals in the village. In order to emphasise the possibility of prawn culture in off season ie. March to June , it was decided to carry out the demonstration during that period. A field day and mass contact programme were arranged in connection with the prawn culture. The demonstration probably brought desirable changes in farmers. It was more or less proved by the good strength of local people who came forward to adopt prawn culture in homesteads in the subsequent year. Demonstration of small scale prawn hatchery CMFRI has developed technologies for production of prawn seeds in small hatcheries which can be established within the limited financial means of local fishermen families. If a spawner is available such a hatchery can be set up at a very low cost. The project area having on one side sea and the other side being large prawn culture fields was felt having wide scope Fig. 7. A view of the harvested prawns, from the water canal. for transfer of this technology. The demonstra-tion attracted large number of local people who expressed their eagerness to adopt the technology but before that they wanted to be trained in identification of spawners and its transportation which are the first steps for establishing their own hatcheries. Linkage programme This programme was envisaged to link the fisherfolk with various developmental agencies. The Manager of the lead bank. The Union Bank Fig. 8. Training women in preparation of diversified products from low cost fish. 10 of India was Invited to the village to participate in a group discussion on the credit schemes available to fishermen and how to make use of them. 75 fishermen participated in the discus-sion with great enthusiasm and it could help them in knowing about new schemes for fisher-men and clear their doubts regarding eligibility to get loans and their terms and conditions. The discussion also pointed towards the need for fishermen to save a part of their Income during good season so that it can be utilized in the lean season rather than depending on money lenders. Under the same programme the fishermen were also linked with the Agricultural Officer so that seeds and fertilizers were supplied to them under the existing schemes of the Department of Agri-culture. Seminar and exhibition A seminar on "Research and Development Activities in Fisheries" was organised in the village to bring awareness of research & develop-ment in fisheries and the role played by CMFRI in development and dissemination of technolo-gies. More than hundred people participated in the seminar which was inaugurated by Dr. P. S. B. R. James, Director of CMFRI. Representatives of various fisheries departments participated in the seminar. An exhibition highlighting the activities of CMFRI was also organised in connection with the seminar. Impact of the programme Fisherfolk being a localite group were initially reluctant to come forward and participate in the project. Hence good rapport was established with a number of personal visits which made them to shred their inhibition and participate in the programme. The data collected after the period of operation of the project showed that programmes channeled through the Fisher-men Forum made them really feel the participa-tion and made it a project of, by and for the people. The level of knowledge in each subject area was measured before the initiation of the pro-gramme and immediately after the programme was over. The difference proved a significant level of increase in their level of knowledge. The gain in knowledge can be attributed to the success of this project. The impact of the demonstration on scientific prawn culture also was considerable having brought desirable changes in their level of Fig. 9. Project leader, assessing knowledge gain of fisher-women as a result of training programme. knowledge, skill, understanding and attitude of the clientile and brought change in their total behaviour to the new practice and adoption of technology. This was also proved by the good strength of local people who came forward to adopt the technology in the subsequent years. This pioneer work at Kandakkadavu helped beneficiaries to identify their needs and enabled them to realise how to supplement their income using local resources. It improved the social system by giving new technologies, provid-ing knowledge and skill to adopt the technologies, linking with develpmental agencies and ushering in social change. It also helped to bring into notice the future need of such programmes and how fisherfolk gain out of it. Being purely an educational programme without subsidies and other monetary benefits and coming under the frame work of first-line extension programme, it served as a model to other extension agencies to start such programme and strengthen the dis-semination of technologies to the grass-root level. The authors are grateful to the Director of the Institute and to many of their colleagues in the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and the Fishery Economics and Extension Division of the Insti-tute. 11 

Firstline extension programme at Kandakkadavu, Ernakulam

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Firstline extension programme at Kandakkadavu, Ernakulam

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