PERCEIVED IMPACT OF AQUACULTURE ON RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA
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Abstract
The study ascertained the perceived impact of aquaculture on rural livelihoods in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A sample size of 270 fish farmers was selected in the rural areas of Akwa Ibom State using a multi-stage sampling method. Data were collected using the questionnaire; and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, standard deviations, means and ranks. Results indicated that majority of the respondents were males with the mean age of 44 years; 47.8% were married and 81.1% were functionally literate with a mean monthly income of N134,333.33. Fish farming, fish rearing and fish processing were the major livelihood activities the respondents were involved in. Findings also showed that the respondents perceived that aquaculture had a high impact on fish farming, fish processing and fish marketing; and a low impact on livestock rearing, handicrafts and salaried jobs. It was therefore, recommended among others, that Governmental and Non-Governmental agencies in the State should organize appropriate training programmes on integrated fish farming for fish farmers in the rural areas of the State to enable them practice integrated fish farming more efficiently and maximize the impact of aquaculture on both fish farming and crop farming in the study area.
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