Impact of Farm Management Training Programme on Income and Expenditure of Aquaculture Farmers in Minor Irrigation Ponds: A Case Study in Odisha

Abstract

The Odisha government imparts residential training to the fish farmers from time to time under different state and central government schemes whose actual well-being impact has never been evaluated. In line with this, the present study assessed the direct influence of such training on the well-being of the aquaculture farmers, measured in terms of household income, contribution of fish farm income, and monthly consumption expenditure on food. The study randomly sampled cross-sectional data of 194 farmers from select districts of Odisha and employed propensity score matching (PSM) model as a way of controlling selection bias. The findings showed significant improvement in the household income, proportion of fish farm income, and monthly consumption expenditure, respectively, by log of 0.31-0.34, 23.07-23.67 percentage points, and INR 643-721 among the trained group. Overall, the findings of the study suggest intensification of the training programme in Odisha for sustainable aquaculture sector development and the welfare of the farmers.