Socio-economic and policy issues determining sustainable fish farming In Nigeria

Abstract

A major agricultural sub-sector where achieving food security has become elusive in Nigeria is the fish production subsector. Demand for fish in Nigeria stands at about 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum while domestic production is just 511,700 metric tonnes. The nation spends about N150 billion (US$1billion) annually to bridge the gap between supply and demand. Consequently, several policy measures have been put in place to stimulate local fish farming. Till date, the results from the colossal investment and policy have not yielded the desired results. Hence, this study attempted to examine the factors determining the sustainability of fish farming in Nigeria with a view to stimulating private investment in the sector, meet national market demand through domestic production and export the excess to enhance the income of farmers. Regression and budgetary analyses were used to analyze data obtained from 100 fish farmers in ten local government areas of Osun State. The result showed that the average net income in the study area was N318,640.75 while the gross margin was N457,327.95. The benefit-cost ratio was 1.5 indicating that for every N100 invested, the enterprise yields additional N50. The regression analysis showed that experience of farmers in fish farming, quantity of feed used, access to credit and size of pond were significant determinants of fish farm production in Nigeria. Major challenges confronting fish farming in the study area are lack of access to credit, high cost of inputs and poor extension services.

Factors Determining the Profitability of Catfish Production in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

“…This is very important as labour is the most important input in smallholder farm business enterprises. The quantity of feed used (X 6 ) was also positively associated with net income from catfish farming (Oluwasola & Ajayi, 2013). The coefficient of the variable indicates that a kilogram increase in fish feed used will increase net income by 83.7%.…”

“…Although the intensity of urban growth can pose a major challenge to the development and growth of large scale farming, fish production is an enterprise that requires small areas of land and which can make use of the several stream channels for the sustainability of the urban environment. In Nigeria where most of the cities have large agricultural resources and potentials relative to the industrial and service sectors, fish farming can generate significant employment, provide income earning potentials for the urban population, enhance the socio-economic status of the farmer as well as generate foreign exchange (Oluwasola & Ajayi, 2013;Olagunju, et al, 2007;Adekoya & Miller, 2004;Eyo, 1992). As succinctly put by Pretty et al (2003), with dwindling food production, degrading agricultural environment, widespread poverty and insecurity in Africa, fish farming provides the poor and hungry with a low cost and readily available strategy to increase food production using less land and less water without further damage to the environment.…”

“…FAO (2005bFAO ( , 2006b pointed out that Nigeria with extensive mangrove ecosystem and over 14 million hectares of inland water surface out of which 1.7 million are available and suitable for fish farming, should not have any major challenge in achieving sufficient and sustainable fish output to meet domestic demand. Yet, in spite of the nations enormous fish potentials and increasing interests in the subsector (Tobor, 1990;Shimang, 2005;Welcome, 1979;Kapetsky, 1981), the gap between the demand for fish in Nigeria (1.3 million metric tonnes annually) and its supply from domestic production (about 0.45 metric tonnes annually) has continued to widen (Oluwasola & Ajayi, 2013). This study thus seeks to evaluate the socioeconomic factors influencing the profitability of catfish production in the city of Ibadan with a view to determining its effects on employment generation, poverty alleviation and enhanced nutrition among the urban population.…”

Incorporating Recognition in Catfish Counting Algorithm Using Artificial Neural Network and Geometry

“…In Nigeria, catfish production has increased from 3 million tons per annum in 2001 to more than 30 million tons per annum in 2006 [4]. But Nigeria still imports approximately 900 000 tons of fish each year which costs about US$ 1 billion due to shortages in the production sector [5][6][7]. One of the problems faced by the production sector in the country is accurate counting as it is essential for accurate stocking of ponds, feeding planning, marketing and fast delivery of fish [8,9].…”

Study of Mobile Phone Gratification Sought and Obtained by Aquaculture Farmers as Strategy for Advisory Services in Nigeria

“…According to Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) (2012),aquaculture has attained double digit growth of 20% in domestic fish production from 5.50% to 24.75% between 2003 and 2011. Other positive attributes of aquaculture are; highly profitable venture of which the cost of production was N571, 231.79, the total revenue of N5, 853, 625.64 and the net income was N5, 282, 393.85 as found in Kaduna State (Kudi etal 2008); generates monthly income of N26, 553.40 which is higher than national minimum wage of N19, 000= US$126.67 (Oluwemimo and Damilola, 2013); fish farming activity reduces poverty by 34.2% as found in Adamawa State (Ndamu 2016); catfish fingerling producers attest that patronage was encouraging and demand for fingerlings is more than supply in Borno State (Olanrewaju et al, 2010); attractive to economic active age group including women and youths (Ifejika et al, 2015;Ndamu, 2016;Kudi et al, 2008). Others are transformation of a rural community is the case of "MonaiFish Farming Village" in Borgu council, Niger State, wealth creation in the value chain for hatchery operators, table size growers, fish feed millers and producers, input dealers, pond construction, fish smoking, security guards and attendants, hiring of ponds, transporters, fish marketing, and increase value of land.…”