The study examined information needs of fish-feed entrepreneurs in the Kainji Lake Basin, Nigeria.

The study assessed aquaculture table-size fish farmer’s activities in the Kainji Lake basin, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined aquaculture  activities in the area, assessed market information, channels and support organizations, and identified the major constraints to aquaculture table- size fish farming in the area. A two-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 table-size fish farmers. Primary data were collected with a questionnaire and presented using descriptive statistics. The result shows that majority of the respondents were males (82.1%), with mean age of 36.7 years, 53.8% had tertiary educational qualification while 66.7% had more than six years’ experience in fish farming. Majority (92%) of the table-size fish farmers operate with less than two ponds, 51% practice earthen pond system, while 91% of the farmers engage in the business for the purpose of generating income. Majority (90%) of the farmers sell their farmed fish after six months, 80% of the sales take place at farm-gate level, 80% of the owners of the fish farms are contacted directly by fish buyers. Also, majority (53.8%) of the fish buyers are the middle men who buy and resell to other fish users (processors, consumers, farmers etc). The major constraints to table-size fish farming were inadequate capital (46.2%), poor water management (33.3%), high cost of feed (10.3%) and poor pricing (10.3%). It is therefore recommended that fish farmers should form  strong Farmer Associations to enable them combat the issues of accessing capital and poor pricing. This will aid in business expansion as the farmers will take advantage of economy of scale. Key words: aquaculture, table-size, fish, farmers

The study analyzed the socio-economic determinants of net-income in aquaculture of Kainji, Lake Basin, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the; fish farming systems; cost and returns, socio-economic determinants of net-farm income and challenges of fish farming in the area. The study adopted a two-stage sampling procedure to select 120 table-size fish farmers. Data were collected with questionnaires that were administered through face-to-face interview and analyzed using descriptive statistics, budgetary technique and multiple regression analysis. The results showed that 35.00 % of the fish farmers were within the age bracket of 31-40 years, 53.34 % were men, 91.67 % were married, 55.83 % had between 1-5 years of experience in fish farming and 75.83 % had tertiary educational qualification. Majority (92 %) of the fish farmers practiced the monoculture of catfish using earthen ponds system. The estimated total expenses were <strike>N</strike> 14,953,330.74 while the total revenue generated from 9 fish ponds, each stocked with an average of 3883.986 fingerlings in 2 cycles per year was <strike>N</strike> 20,188,142.00. The estimated net-farm income after tax was <strike>N</strike> 5,234,811.26 while the net profit margin and return on investment was 25.93 % and 35% respectively. Age, experience and household size were positive and significant (p<0.05) socio-economic factors that affected net-farm income while the challenges of fish farming were high cost of feed ( ̅x=3.24), poor pricing ( ̅x =3.11), poor access to capital ( ̅x=3.09) and persistent poaching/theft ( ̅x= 2.67). Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that there should be an intensive research by the fish nutrition division of National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR) on the possible alternatives of crude protein source that could be a perfect substitute to Clupeids in fish feeds. Keywords: aquaculture, catfish, socio-economic, profitability, farmers

The study examined economics of smoke Catfish in Kainji Lake Basin, Nigeria. Random sampling technique was used to select 80 farmed-catfish processors from 20 communities. Primary data were collected through interview schedule and presented using percentages, mean, and 2-stage least square regression analysis. Results showed that the use of local oven (banda kilns) constitute the majority (at least 67%) of the method used in fish smoking. Roles such as gutting, folding, salting/brining, setting of fire and fish monitoring were mostly performed by the women, while the men and youths supply fire woods as well as fish arrangement on racks. The average gender ratio between the men, women and youths was 0.80,  indicating a near gender equality in terms of value of fixed assets, revenue, employees and wage. Profitability indicators showed that smoke fish  processing is a viable business with return on investment of 11.71 % for the men, 9.99 % for the women and 8.48 % for the youths respectively. The  major determinants of netincome were age, experience and initial capital investment. Hence, it is recommended that the processing industry  should be strengthened through subsidy on improved smoking kilns to enable processors produce high quality processed farmed catfish.

The existing power differences among men, women and youths in aquaculture pre-empted the study on gender roles and economic differentials in aquaculture of Kainji Lake Basin, Nigeria. Specifically, the study assessed sources of production resources, gender roles, cost and returns and existing gender gaps in aquaculture. Using a survey design, a two-stage sampling procedure was used to select 81 males and 39 females from a population of 229 fish farmers. Data were presented using descriptive statistics and analyzed with budgetary technique and gender gap ratios. Key result shows that the men and youths had direct access to land through inheritance and purchase while the women (61%) accessed land through a family relation. The men and male youths performed majority of the gender roles involved in preparation of ponds, fingerlings stocking, fish management and post-harvest activities while the women and female youths were actively involved in fish management, liming and grading. Economic indicators show that the men and youths have a higher return on investment than the women implying that such power differences still exist. Hence, it is recommended that women should be organized in groups for empowerment. This will enable them utilize their collective strength through division of labour in fish farming.