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Abstract:
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"Fisheries extension workers empower fish farmers by training them to become innovative and successful small-scale farmers. In turn, fish farmer attract and have the knowledge to train others to farm fish. Between November 2002 and February 2003, 55 fish farmers were interviewed to determine the extent to which the small-scale fish farming spreads through farmer-to-farmer transmission. In addition technologies passed between fish farmers were examined to determine the mat types of technologies that are spread as well as to determine if the quality of information transmitted remains stable, or if it is distorted as it passes from one farmer to the other.
"The study showed that information on small-scale fish-farming spreads substantially beyond extension-farmer transmission. Twenty-five percent of fish farmers were taught by extension workers and were thus considered a primary class. Sixty percent of fish farmers were classified as secondary because they had by fish farmers. The results therefore indicate that small scale fish farming technologies are passed along through farmer to farmer than extensive to farmer transmission. Pond management, integrated agriculture with aquaculture, fingerling and fish selection, and pond construction are the main technologies that are transferred through farmer to farmer transmission. Finally, results suggest that the quality of information that is transferred through farmer to farmer is comparable to information transmitted through extension worker to fish farmer transmission, but this needs further investigations."
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