Fish farmers' post-intervention utilisation of promoted aquaculture practices under the National Fadama Development Project III in Oyo State

Abstract

Continuous utilisation of aquaculture practices promoted under Fadama III could help in the drive towards diversification of Nigeria’s economy. This study assessed the utilisation of aquaculture practices promoted by Fadama III in Oyo state, years after the project had been rested. One Hundred and twenty farmers were sampled using a multistage sampling procedure. Using interview schedule data were collected on fish farmers’ socioeconomic and enterprise characteristics, utilisation of promoted aquaculture practices under Fadama III, benefits derived and constraints to utilisation of the practices. Data were analysed using frequency, percentage, means, Chi Square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation at p= 0.05. Fish farmers were aged 47.0±17.3
years, mostly male (72.9%) and married (72.5%) with more than 10 years of working experience (95.9%). There was high level of utilisation of improved feed production and feeding technique by 89.2%. Benefits from use of the practices ranged from betterpond management (80.8%), improved fish health (55.3%) and efficient use of resources (48.3%). Fish farmers were however mostly constrained by high start-up cost of promoted practices (86.7%) and market-price fluctuation (75.0%). There were significant relationships between type of fish raised (?2=12.210), main source of labour (?2=18.738) and utilisation of promoted aquaculture practices. Also, perceived benefits of utilising promoted aquaculture practices (r=-0.195) and utilisation of these practices were positively correlated. Microfinance banks should be mobilized to provide soft loan to fish farmers to cushion
constraint of high start-up capital.