Safeguarding Livelihood Gains in Small-scale Shrimp Aquaculture in Andhra Pradesh, India – Suggestions for a Way Forward

Abstract

The present article is an outcome of the research project entitled “Socio-economic Baseline Study of the Shrimp farming Communities in Andhra Pradesh, India” with an objective to understand the dynamics of the industry and their socio-economic structures and conditions. The major findings are used as a way forward to safeguard livelihoods in the shrimp industry in Andhra Pradesh. The findings were grouped into 6 themes namely, Economic Impact, Social Conditions, Environmental Impact, Challenges Faced by them, Government Initiatives and Support, and Future Prospects for ensuring sustainable farming practices. While the Shrimp farming in Andhra Pradesh play a vital role in the state’s economy, it also brings with it a whole range of socio-economic challenges. Against this background a descriptive research design with a mixed methodology framework which included qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted on 200 sample respondents by using snowball sampling method which included 100 Shrimp farmers and 100 shrimp farm workers, participating in the survey component of the study to know how to Safeguard Livelihood Gains in Small-scale Shrimp Aquaculture. The study not only focused primarily on small-scale farms but also included information from respondents associated with large scale shrimp farms in four districts of Andhra Pradesh namely East Godavari, West Godavari, Guntur and Krishna. In addition, the study included Focus group Discussions (FGDs) and Key informant interviews (KIIs) with other farming community members: Farmers’ wives, young people, retired farmers and their spouses, community leaders, and education and health providers. The positive aspect of it is that it offers livelihood opportunities, the industry needs to address socio-economic and environmental concerns to ensure its long-term sustainability and improve their well-being. It is evident that along with the socioeconomic benefits, there are also negative consequences that require immediate attention as suggested in this paper.