Effective utilisation of clam recources: A way forward to women empowerment in the Perumbalam village, Alappuza district, Kerala

Abstract

The black clam fishery in Kerala contributes to subsistence fishery of the local coastal communities of the Perumbalam island in Vembanad lake. Around 250 families are engaged in clam fishing activities in 8 wards of the island which comes under the Chertala taluk, Alappuzha district, Kerala. The clam is harvested by the fishermen and meat shucked and marketed by the fisherwomen. The present study undertaken as part of a DST, Government of India funded project, investigates the scope of strengthening capacities of the clam fisherwomen of the island by transfer of technology on specific areas as a tool to reduce drudgery and effective income generation. Participatory methods were followed for assessing issues and arriving at strategies. The specific issues were recognised as ignorance in good manufacturing practices in the processing of clam meat and lack of value addition of clam meat. To facilitate the knowledge dissemination the clam fisherwomen were grouped into clusters with the help of local project collaborators. The members of the cluster were given training under a comprehensively designed skill development programme where they were exposed to methods for improved method for shucking clam meat with stress of food safety and to various methods of value addition of clam meat. The feedback was evaluated for assessing impact.