LPS Swathi*, G Sasikumar, AP Dineshbabu and P Rohit
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi- 680018, Kerala, India
Abstract
Today’s extension trends represent a paradigm shift from top down approach to bottom up approach wherein
the farmer is the central figure in the technology adoption and technology refinement process. Research and extension
organizations have moved from working with individual farmers to collaboration with groups. Members
of a group collectively take part in accessing and sharing resources, in decision making, partaking of benefits,
than while acting individually. The Participatory Action model (PAM) was used for the transfer of technology to
Mussel farmers, through a six step process of planning and implementation. Mussel farming connotes the scientific
culture of edible bivalves which belong to the family “Mytilidae”. The economic by product of mussel farmingis the mussel meat which has considerable commercial value and fetches additional source of income for fishermen during the lean fishing seasons.
Mussel faming
in India is carried out as individual
ownership, family ownership and ownership by
self-help
groups.
In
the
present
study,
the
Participatory
Action
Model
was
used
as
a
method
to
organize the self-help groups involved in mussel farming. This model aims at development of group capacities
through involvement of the group members in planning, implementation, review and reflection process inmussel farming undertaken on a group basis. The study aimed at assessing the Group Dynamics Effectiveness of
men and women mussel farmers in their respective groups. The findings revealed that the overall Group Effectiveness
Index (G.E.I) was 63.03, which has been achieved, within a short period of three years of technology
transfer. Results of Chi-square analysis revealed that there was significant association between men and women
farmers in the groups with respect to group dimensions such as influence, styles of influence, decision making,
task function, feelings, norms, interpersonal trust and group achievements at (P<0.05). The findings of the discriminant
analysis revealed that the group dimensions which significantly discriminated the men and women farmers,
were
achievements
of
group,
norms,
interpersonal
trust
and
empathy.
The
study
implies that there is tremendous
potential for harnessing the group efforts for successful adoption of the technology and future participatory
efforts should be directed at strengthening these specific dimensions which govern the group behaviour and which
in turn accentuate the G.E.I.
Key words: Mussel farmer, Participatory Action Model, Group Effectiveness Index
Full Text : pdf
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* - Corresponding Author
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