4.0 DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON DIFFERENT STRATEGIES OF TRICKLE DOWN EXTENSION SYSTEM

During the three workshops, held in Rajshahi, Khulna and Dhaka Divisions, the participants made threadbare discussions through group exercise on finer details of the TDES operation and formulated the following recommendations.

4.1 Selection of RD and his/her pond

Recommendations

1. TFO and his field staff should select RD from areas/unions having more concentration of ponds after thorough discussion with local fish farmers.

2. RD should be selected through following methods

   1. Training of interested fish farmers and identifying the most suitable ones after thorough interaction
   2. Group discussion with local interested fish farmers
   3. Local advertisement
   4. Selection from the list of pond owners available in the Thana.

   The first method has been found to be very effective in selecting ideal fish farmers as RD.

3. RD should have the following characteristics

   1. Professional farmer and/or his family member including women
   2. Having pond preferably under single ownership or on lease
   3. Literate
   4. Respected by local people or command good reputation
   5. Pleasant personality
   6. Solvent to mobilize minimum required inputs
   7. Should represent different socio-economic strata of rural society
   8. Imam/School teacher (if interested in fish culture)

   9. Women, Rural Women Somittees (association)/fishermen cooperatives, formal or informal organizations etc.

4. Each RD should take the responsibility of serving 5–8 FFs. However, number of linked FFs with each RD will vary depending upon the concentration of ponds in the area.

5. RD should be given the following responsibility and authority

   1. Selection of FFs from his/her own locality
   2. Conducting training and demonstrations for his/her own FFs
   3. Motivating the FFs to adopt the improved technology
   4. Frequent visit to his/her FFs for giving necessary advice

   5. Keeping close contact with TFO/AFO for his advice and solutions for the problems encountered by him and his FFs.

6. In selecting the RD's pond the following points of consideration should also be kept in mind

   1. Location of pond(s) should be preferably near RD's homestead
   2. Road accessible to RD's pond
   3. Both perennial or seasonal ponds should be selected, however, perennial ponds should be used for table size fish culture while seasonal ponds for fish seed rearing
   4. Water area up to one bigha (33 decimal) should be preferred for demonstration purpose. Many farmers use cow-dung as fuel resulting in the paucity of cow-dung in the locality. Smaller water bolding will require small amount of cowdung for daily manuring
   5. Ponds in the vicinity of any public place such as local market, office, square etc. attract more people
   6. Pond must be flood free.

4.2 Selection of FF and his/her pond

1. FF should be selected through following methods
   1. Discussion with RD
   2. Discussion with RD and other pond owners of the locality

   3. Personal contact with interested pond owners.

2. FF should have the following characteristics
   1. Professional farmer/farm worker or fisherman
   2. Interested to work closely with RD
   3. Member of fishermen society/cooperatives deserve preference
   4. Ready to self support the minimum required inputs

   6. Female members of Mohila Somittees may be encouraged to become FFs.

3. Location of pond
   1. Located preferably near FF's homestead in order to avoid poaching problem
   2. Near to RD's pond (if available) or locality
   3. Pond should retain water throughout the year. However, seasonal ponds are also suitable for fish seed rearing.
   4. Bigger size pond more than 33 decimal water needs larger amount of input especially the manure which in many cases hard to procure. Many farmers use cow-dung as fuel which causes the scarcity

   5. Pond must be flood free.

4. FF should bear the following responsibilities
   1. Keep close contact with RD
   2. Follow RD's advice

   3. Attend meeting, training, demonstration etc. as and when organized by RD.

4.3 Involvement of NGOs

Recommendation

At the present moment the NGOs should not be involved in those thanas where TDES is being introduced through DoF Extension Personnel. Because of the difference in working principles and approach of NGOs and DoF/Project, it may create confusion among the fish farmers. NGOs usually have strong credit/input assistance component in their extension programme while DoF/Project do not have such provision. However, they can also be involved from working together in organizing the farmers. Some of the NGOs are actively participating in Jhikargacha Thana of Jessore on this line where both DoF and NGOs have reinforced each other and achieved highly satisfactory results.

4.4 Home and Pond Visit by Extension Agent

Recommendations

1. AFO/FA should visit RDs pond once in every fortnight and supervise and support their activities

2. During the summer season the visit should be made in the morning hours

3. TFO should visit RDs' ponds at least once a month

4. DFO should visit RDs' ponds once in 3 month

5. Deputy Director, Fishery should meet the RDs or visit RDs ponds once a year

6. During home visit friendly relationship should also be established with the family members of fish farmer

7. Members of farmers' family should also be involved to make them acquainted with the know-how of fish culture

8. The following points should be checked while visiting ponds of RDs
   1. Water color
   2. Water transparency
   3. Presence of aquatic weeds in the pond
   4. Condition of the dykes
   5. Fish growth
   6. Health & disease condition
   7. Manuring schedule and amount being applied
   8. Stocking and restocking of different species
   9. Algal blooming
   10. Presence of unwanted/predatory fish
   11. Feed, rate of feeding, feed application and feeding schedule

   12. Record keeping.

9. Offer of hospitality by the farmers should be discouraged but treatment as a family member should be accepted by the extension agent.

10. Following data should be checked in the Record Keeping Instruction Book
    1. Water area of the pond
    2. Commencing date of fish culture activities
    3. Average water depth
    4. Dyke repairing cost/condition
    5. Dewatering/poisoning expenditure
    6. Manure and fertilizer use
    7. Liming
    8. Bottom raking
    9. Toxicity testing
    10. Stocking details
        • species ratio
        • stocking density
        • average weight and size of fingerlings
    11. Use of supplementary feed
        • ingredients used
        • quantity/day and cost
    12. Periodical sampling and average growth attained
    13. Partial harvest - weight and sale proceed/value
    14. Final harvest - weight and sale proceed/value
    15. Re-stocking
    17. Calculation of income and expenditure
    18. Calculating cost benefit ratio etc.

4.5 Training for Extension Officer/Staff and RD/Fellow Fish Farmers

Recommendations

Comprehensive Training for officers/staff

1. Comprehensive training for DFO/TFO and AFO/FA should be conducted separately.

2. Duration of comprehensive training for DFOs/TFOs should be at lest for 7 days in a year.

3. Duration of comprehensive training for AFOs/FAs should be for 10 days in a year.

4. Training needs for the officers/staff should be assessed by respective Deputy Director-Fisheries.

5. Training programme should contain the following subjects
   1. Improved technology package for table size Fish culture hatcheries/nursery management/integrated fish culture/Fish seed rearing etc.
   2. Disease control and management
   3. Extension teaching methods and tools
   4. Strategies of TDES
   5. Marketing skill
   6. Planning annual development programme for Thana/District
   7. Project Preparation and Monitoring and evaluation process

In-situ training programme for RDs/FFs

1. Senior RD should conduct in-situ training programme once a month for his RDs and FFs and for this service they should be provided with remuneration for conducting the training

2. Training needs and topics should be assessed after consulting with RDs/FFs, depending upon their existing fish culture pattern, knowledge/education level, etc.

3. Senior RDs should be provided with training kits, cast net, spring balance, mosquito net bag, chalk, duster, etc. so that they can organize and conduct training/demonstrations of their own.

4. Senior RDs should be trained by TFO once in every 3–4 months. Duration of training programme should be one-day long, and continue on regular basis.

4.6 Record Keeping

Recommendations

1. RDs should be motivated to keep complete record of fish farming activities
2. RDs Record Keeping Book should be checked by AFO once a fortnight and TFO once a month.

4.7 Monitoring

Recommendations

1. FFs activities should be monitored by converted RDs once in 2–3 months
2. Converted RDs' activities should be monitored by Senior RD once in 3 months
3. Senior RDs' activities should be monitored by TFO once a month
4. TFO/AFO's activities should be monitored by the DFO once in 3 months and by the DD Fisheries once a year
5. Divisional fisheries extension activities should be monitored once a year by the Director-Fisheries.

4.8 Human Development Aspects

Recommendations

1. RDs should be supported to assimilate/develop the following qualities ind eveloping leadership
   • Non-formal Education
   • Sense of honesty
   • Level of knowledge about improved technology
   • Patience to solve the problems of their own
   • Sacrificing attitude
   • Deep sense of Self-respect and confidence
   • Friendly and pleasing behaviour
   • Sense of responsibility

   • Helping attitude.

2. Leadership among RDs should be developed through
   • Systematic and organized leadership development training programmes
   • Conducting workshop at the right place, at the right time with right type of participants
   • Organizing seminar on problem solving topics
   • Rewarding/recognition system
   • Assigning responsibility in organizing the rural development activities

   • Close supervision and support by supervisory officers

3. Self-reliance and self-confidence should be developed among the RDs by motivating them to work with whatever inputs they have and check the usual temptation of seeking free input assistance, credit, etc.

4. Vigorous efforts should be made to change the attitude of RDs so that they feel pride in timely repayment of credit.

5. Social importance to RDs should be given through
   • Extending invitation at important occasions/programmes
   • Offering visits to Research Institute
   • Consideration should be given to RDs in leasing the Government ponds
     (if it does not contradict with Govt. policy)

   • Visit by local officers/senior officers to his house/pond etc.

4.9 Coordination with related agencies

Recommendations

1. There should be coordination committees at Thana, District and National level.

2. Thana Fisheries Technical Coordination Committee should be constituted as follows

   • TFO	Chair-person
   • TAO	Member
   • TLO	Member
   • TRDO	Member
   • OC Police Station	Member
   • Sr. RD	Members
   • AFO	Member-Secretary

3. District Fisheries Technical Coordination Committee should be constituted as follows

   • DFO	Chairman
   • DLO	Member
   • Dy.Director, DAE	Member
   • Dy. Director BARD	Member
   • AGM- BKB	Member
   • All TFOs in a district	Members
   • One Senior RD from each Thana	Member
   • TFO Sadar	Member-Secretary

4. The representatives from the following agencies should be the members of the National Fisheries Coordination Committee

   • Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

   • Ministry of Land/Water body (closed)

   • Ministry of Agriculture

   • Bank (BKB and Commercial bank)

   • Local administration

   • Research institute/station

   • Ministry of Commerce

5. The coordination committees at different levels should be made through MOU by the concerned Ministries.

6. Monthly meeting should be organized by Technical Coordination Committee at the District and Thana level.

7. Thana Fisheries Office should be provided with the following technical staff

   • One FA for each 2 unions

   • 2 AFOs for each Thana where water area concentration is above national average

   • One Fishery Extension Officer for conducting training andorganizing extension activities

   • One TFO for law enforcement, conservation and coordination,

4.10 Guiding Factors for the Success of TDES

The following factors have been found to be key to success of TDES

• Personal profile of extension workers/officers in terms of their interest, sincerity, hard work and commitment
• Good relationship between RDs and Extension staff
• Good relationship between RDs and FFs
• Appropriate technologies for transfer befitting to local conditions
• Appropriate training for Extension staff and Fish farmers
• Proper knowledge of water resource management
• Timely availability of required inputs
• Requisite number of field staff at the Thana level and facilities for their mobility
• Proper supervision and monitoring system
• Social recognition to officers and RDs for their services

4.11 Problems Encountered during Operation and Recommended Solutions