International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
T Iyyappan, R Santhakumar, M Kishore Kumar, P Subash, R Tamilselvan, L Sudhagar and G Arul Oli

abstract
This paper aims to study the challenges shrimp farmers face in the managerial efficiency of farming activities and propose solutions to address these challenges. The primary data were collected from 150 study respondents in three blocks of Nagapattinam district with the help of a proportionate random sampling method. The data were analyzed using frequency and percentage methods. The study unveiled ten key constraints, with disease outbreaks receiving the highest response rate (95.33%), followed by price fluctuations, poor seed quality, high feed costs, scarcity of skilled labour, inadequate electricity supply, high tariffs, insufficient awareness about shrimp farming schemes, weather fluctuations and cyclones, lack of governmental backing, and inadequate credit and insurance provisions. The most valuable recommendation proposed by respondents, in descending order of significance for mitigating these challenges, was the establishment of a disease diagnostic center offering affordable services (72.66%). Next, recommendations were made to the state fisheries government, including initiatives to establish a stable market price regulated and disseminated via social media, create seed certifying agencies, and improve credit and insurance facilities. Therefore, our study will significantly contribute to guiding actions by generating novel research avenues in shrimp farming aimed at fostering sustainable production.