Impact assessment of the fisheries school-on-the-air program

Inglés. This study aimed to determine the impacts of the Fisheries School-on-the-Air (FSA) program implemented by PCAMRD in coordination with various public and private institutions. Although a standard implementation mechanism was adopted, the 11 FSA modules so far conducted had differences in terms of the nature of involvement of the participating agencies, technical content of the lessons depending on the fish species financial support, number of listener-graduates, and incentives provided to the graduates for encouraging adoption. Primary data collected through socio-economic surveys in the study areas were used to assess the adoption pathway and impact of 5 species-specific FSA modules; namely, tilapia, pompano, apahap, lapulapu, and alimango [mud crab]. The assessment was carried out following the process/input-output-outcome-impact framework. The FSA process and adoption pathway involved transfer of knowledge on fish culture technologies from PCAMRD (the source) to the listeners (the recipients) via radio broadcast (the channel of communication or vehicle for technology dissemination) after which the listeners were expected to engage in fish culture (the adoption stage) FSA inputs consisted of the contributed financial, technical and institutional resources of and partnership among public agencies (PCAMRD, LGUs [local government units], and schools) and private sector (ABS-CBN Foundation, Santeh and Aquasur Corporations, Philippine Federation of Rural Broadcasters, and radio stations). FSA output consisted of a) 843 listener-graduates (alimango 31%, tilapia 22%, lapulapu 15%, and apahap and pompano 16% each); b) incentives such as fingerlings, cash, and/or feeds received by outstanding and other listener-graduates numbering 66 beneficiaries; c) institutional linkages established among agencies although these appeared not to have been sustained after the FSA; and d) information manuals on pompano, apahap, and lapulapu fish culture. The listener-respondents totalled 213. Most respondents for tilapia, pompano and apahap were from the provinces where the LGUs and schools were actively involved. Respondents for lapulapu and alimango mostly came from Metro Manila.

Inglés. Since initial adoption mostly failed (around 60%), respondents did not want to take risks anymore considering the lack of operating capital vis-à-vis the high cost of operation. Non-adoption among those who never attempted to engage in fish culture was due to unavailability of fish pond, absence of suitable area for operation, and lack of operating capital. Although attendance and knowledge gained was slightly higher for adopters than non-adopters, the above factors appear more influential in adoption decisions than knowledge of technologies per se. Among the 3 case adopters, adoption had favorable impact in terms of additional income: a) return above cash costs for one-cycle operation of PhP 17,420 for a 1,000 sq m tilapia farm and PhP 11,500 for a 2,000 sq m apahap farm, and b) PhP 5,000 additional income for a 1,482 sq m tilapia farm due to reduction in fingerlings cost resulting from lower stocking density relative to previous practice. At least 2 tilapia raisers had improved their practices in terms of adjustments in water level of their pond and stocking density resulting in better yield (bigger size of harvested tilapia). There was no apparent environmental and social impact since adoption was limited and unsustained. Overall, respondents were satisfied with and had favorable (close to excellent) rating of the FSA considering the technical content, resource persons and broadcasters, coordination and networking, and delivery mode of fishery technologies.