Kollam: A group of five students of Oslo Metropolitan University doing first year graduation is in the district to document the revolutionary changes that the intervention 67 years back by fellow Norwegians had wrought among the fishing community here. For it was in 1953 that the Indo-Norwegian Project implemented in Neendakara had paved the way for the modernisation and mechanisation of the fisheries industry. The social outreach also witnessed developmental work in the education, health, potable water and sanitation sectors to the betterment of the community.
With the help of Associate Programme Coordinator Vinod Krishnan T Y of Centre for Research & Education for Social Transformation, Kozhikode, Associate Professor Berit ‘Bibbi’ Helene Vandsemb of Oslo Metropolitan University and Celina Bottolfsen, Frida Øvregaard Lunde, Hida Ahmed Wais, Ole Magnus Eide and Ragnhild Jakobsen is undertaking this field trip, as part of their first year curriculum. The report of these field studies have to be submitted as part of the thesis.
For this purpose the students interacted with stakeholders, including fisher folk, women hawkers of fish and boat-owners. While they learned about the wholesome changes brought about by the INP, they also came to know about the deleterious impact of bad fishing practices like bottom trawling. Co-ordinator Renu Henry and CREST alumna Anumol B S too accompanied the team.
Bibbi, who left for Oslo the next day {March 6, 2020} said that there were 14 students overall, who are conducting studies in Kerala, of which two groups are in Wayanad. Kjersti Hauklien Simenstad, Linde Kongsvik Aga, Live Samuelsen Robberstad and Tora Amble Wengshoel are studying family planning in Thrikkaipetta; while the subject of gulf migration is the chosen field of Celine Hovanisjan, Dorthea Høstaker Nordheim, Kasparas Brazovskis, Katinka Marcussen Fenre and Nor Burhan Abdullah. The students will return in April taking back memories of the spice coast.
