Adoption Status Of Improved Fish Production Technology In Badhaiyataal Rural Municipality

The study was conducted in the PMAMP Fish Zone, Bardiya (Badhaiyataal rural municipality) to study the adoption status of improved fish technology. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select a representative sample of fish growers from various fish farming sites within the rural municipality. During the study period, 50 randomly selected fish farmer households were surveyed using structured questionnaires. The study found that the age group of 40-60 years showed the highest participation in fish farming (48%), with the majority of males. The dominant populations in the region were Brahmin and Janajati, each constituting 44%. Hinduism was a major religion (94%), and the majority of the respondents were found to be literate. Most of the respondents (92%) were engaged in agriculture, and all of them practiced commercial fish farming. They had an average farming experience of 14 years on their own land. The technology adopted by most of the respondents were liming practices, inlet devices, aerated containers for transporting fingerlings, fertilization, improved breeds of fingerlings, and pond maintenance. High feed costs followed by the absence of commercial hatcheries, lack of technicians, and high electricity bills were the main challenges. Controlling the illegal import of Indian fish and focusing on proper management of feed, fingerlings, medicine, and the market, along with the establishment of a nearby lab, and availability of skilled technicians might help to increase the number of farmers adopting improved fish production technologies.