From Nets to Degrees: How Kerala is Transforming the Lives of Fisherfolk Families

Thiruvananthapuram: On a quiet morning in Andhakaranazhi, Cherthala, Joseph Yohannan recalls the journey that seemed almost impossible. “My daughters, Jasna and Jasmin, are both doctors today. One is pursuing her master’s degree, the other preparing for admission. Coming from a fisherfolk family, I never imagined this would be possible. It was only because of the Kerala government’s support that we could dream this big,” he says.

For families like the Yohannans, higher education often comes with an insurmountable price tag. Jasna’s three-year course alone cost 45 lakh rupees, while Jasmin’s annual course fee was 7 lakh rupees, not counting hostel expenses. Through the Vidyatheeram project, a government initiative aimed at providing educational assistance to fisherfolk, these expenses were met, opening doors that had long seemed closed.

Jasna and Jasmin are part of a larger story. Over the past nine years, the LDF government has transformed the lives of hundreds of fisherfolk families. Ninety-seven students have completed medical degrees under the scheme, 104 have qualified in BDS, and many others have enrolled in BAMS, BHMS, and various professional courses. For these families, government support has not just been financial assistance,it has been a lifeline.

Childrens infront of Muttathura Flat Complex

Housing has been another critical focus. Through the Punargeham scheme, fisherfolk families living dangerously close to the sea have been relocated to safer, permanent homes, echoing the broader goals of Kerala’s LIFE project. In just four and a half years, 3,363 families have moved into new houses, 738 families received flats, and construction is underway for more than 2,000 homes. Of the 22,174 families identified by the government as living within 50 metres of the coastline, 9,104 have agreed to move to safer spaces, supported by an investment of nearly 494 crores.

Infrastructure too has received much-needed attention. Thanoor Port, originally constructed under the UDF government but misaligned with the needs of fishermen, was reconstructed and officially opened to the public in 2020 under the LDF government. The port now functions as it should, supporting the very people whose livelihoods depend on it.

Thanoor Port

These efforts have not gone unnoticed. Kerala has been recognised as the best marine state in the country, and Kollam district has received national accolades for its marine initiatives. Fish farming production in villages has doubled, and investments through initiatives like the Kerala-European Union conclave have brought over 7,288 crores into the fisheries sector.

Social security for fisherfolk has also strengthened. Insurance coverage for fishermen has doubled from 5 lakh to 10 lakh rupees, encompassing over 236,000 fishermen and nearly 80,000 others working in fisheries. Those who lost loved ones to natural disasters, such as Cyclone Okchi, have been given jobs at the Muttathura Fish Net Factory, and affected families have received essential equipment such as boats and nets.

For Joseph Yohannan, all of this has changed more than just his daughters’ futures. “I can now see a future where my grandchildren, too, will have choices. Where my family is not defined by the hardships of the sea but by the opportunities around us,” he says.

Nine years may seem like a short span, but for Kerala’s fisherfolk, it has been transformative. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, the state has not only invested the most in this community’s welfare than ever before but has also reshaped the very horizons of possibility for families who once thought the ocean was their only world.