author(s)
Mohan Maloth, Swetha M, Balazzii Naaiik RVT, Rajkumar BV, Bhavyamanjari M, Suresh M and Vijay Kumar P

abstract
A study of the socioeconomic conditions is a prerequisite for the suitable design and successful implementation of any project, training, demonstration, or government developmental programs. The present study was conducted to assess the socioeconomic characteristics namely education, employment, income levels from aquaculture, and other farm and nonfarm activities of fish farmers of Nizamabad district, along with the status of fish farming and livelihood of the fish farmer. The fish farmers are the key stakeholders of the fisheries sector. Hence, to address the issues related to the development of the fisheries sector of the state, the status of fish farmers of the state needs to be understood. The present study is an effort in this direction. Using simple random sampling 50 fish farmers are selected from the Nizamabad district. The present study reveals that fish farmers in the state are economically poor with average per capita annual income (Rs. 30,000/-) significantly lower than the average per capita annual income. Though the literacy rate among the farmers reasonably good (72%) but the overall level of education is found to be very poor with the majority having a middle school level of education. The study, after examining all the indicators, concludes that the overall situation of the fish farmer stakeholders of the state is unhappy which needs to be improved with appropriate policy initiatives.