Qualitative Assessment of Perception on Gift Tilapia Farming: An Analytical Perspective for Better Dissemination and Adoption

GIFT Tilapia a fast growing fish and candidate species used for short term profitable fish farming. The farm level adoption of GIFT Tilapia farming technology has not increased significantly, given its relative advantage over the carps such as easily grown in wide range of water quality parameters, better growth in higher stocking densities and short period for weight gain. Therefore, the study attempts to analyse the perception about GIFT Tilapia Farming among the Fish Farmers and Prospective fish Farmers in order to arrive at conclusions for better adoption of GIFT Tilapia farming technology. Simple random sampling was used for selecting the sample and the total sample size is 82 (44 Fish farmers and 38 Prospective fish farmers, that is, Non-fish farmers with knowledge about fish farming). The data collection was done through focussed group discussions and structured interview schedule. The statements are ranked based on ‘The Cumulative Perception Index’ calculated for each statement. The results show that the respondents perceive strongly that “GIFT Tilapia is one of the best cultivable species” and “it has more profit compared to carp culture”. The perception is highly negative to the statement that “GIFT tilapia culture technology is complex” however 63% of the respondents were sceptical about “the marketing of GIFT Tilapia”. From the results it is found that, in order to improve the adoption of GIFT Tilapia Farming technology, it is necessary to make the fish farmers informed about the guidelines to farming GIFT Tilapia, enabling availability and accessibility of GIFT Tilapia seeds and making them aware of marketability and innovative marketing strategies of GIFT Tilapia. This can perk up dissemination and adoption of GIFT Tilapia farming technology.