Abstract

The present study aimed at assessing the social forces that drive the sustainability of tradition duck farming system in Kuttanad. A qualitative methodology, where the stakeholders were approached individually and unanimously, was adopted for identifying the constraints and to arrive at solutions. The traditional significance of duck farming in kuttanad agrarian system and its contribution to gainful family  employment as well as to nutritional security of farm families were the strong social forces assistive in sustanability of the system. The lack of scienfic knowledge, dependance on traditional wisdom, inadequate activities of farmer associations, labour intensive nature of production system leading to inefficient social participation and training participation were identified as major constarints. The poor social status of nomadic duck farmers, was holding back the youth to take up it as a livelihood. Addressing the constraints need to focus on restructuring the duck farmer association in APCOS model to solve the competition among farmers and to meet training and extension contact requirements. Rehabilitating the nomadic farmers and attracting younger generation by structuring policies helpful in improving income as well as availability of credit facility for duck farming might assist in sustaining duck farming.

Keywords : Duck farming , Trans-nomadic farming, Social participation, Kuttanad wetland ecosystem