Socioeconomic Characteristics and Constraints of Pond fish farmers in Lagos State, Nigeria (original) (raw)

This paper aims to describe the socioeconomic characteristics and constraints facing pond fish farmers in Lagos state, Nigeria. The study has adopted a survey research design. It mainly utilized primary data. A structured close-ended questionnaire was administered in a multi-stage, stratified random sampling procedure on fish farmers who own ponds and culture fish in Lagos state, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) fish farmers were selected for the study. Of these, thirty (30) fish farmers were randomly selected from four administrative divisions which are: Ikeja, Lagos, Badagry and Epe division. A purposive sampling of two Local Government Areas (LGAs) based on predominance of fish farming activities in these areas from the administrative divisions namely: Alimosho, Kosofe, Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki while three communities and five respondents were randomly selected from the eight LGAs. The validity and reliability of instrument were established by three experts in the Department of Agricultural Economics. The questionnaire was pre-tested in Itesiwaju LGA, Oyo state and a correlation r=0.90 was obtained. The result obtained from the field indicated an average output of fish per farmer per production cycle was 14,000kg and an average farm size of 1.97ha per farmer. The farmers possess an average farming experience of 11.7years and an average household size of 5.12members as well as an average schooling year of 14.4years. The farmers were young as indicated by mean age of 43years. It further indicated that pond size (mean =2.22) and feed (mean=3.12) were the most significant in pisciculture enterprise in this area. Constraints to pisciculture enterprise in the state were high feed cost (X ̅>3.8), lack of credit (X ̅>3.6), high cost of inputs (X ̅>3.4) and poor technical know-how (X ̅>3.4).