Sustainable Iivelihood through Aquaculture in Niger-Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was informedby the high consumption of carbohydrates in the Niger-Delta, therise in fish insufficiency in the rural economy of the area, the gradual but steady withdrawaloffisher folks fromartisanalfarmingdue toenvironmentalpollutionandthehigh levels of pollutants in sea foods in the region. Akwa Ibom state was selected purposively as a representative sample anda survey wasconductedusing questionnaires to determine factors affecting aquaculture as an alternative livelihood strategy in the region. Some factors were found to have relative influence on the extent offishproduction and some of the sub components of some factors were also significant. The study determined the output differentials as contributed by the subcomponent of production attribute and which of them couldbe advantageous to the turnover of farms found in the region. With respect to rurality of production sites, urban aquaculture units produced relatively better than farms locatedin the peri-urban andrural areas, but the variations in output level were not statistically significant. Other subcomponents of the selected production attributes potentials were ponds constructed with concrete, farms with sizes above 501M adoption of poly-culturedmethods. Cropping twice in a year and engaging in a full-scale production also portray a means of improving productivity the fish farms. Despite variationsin output across theproduction attribute, sizes ofponds and number cropping in a year had remarkable inflÿenee on the supply of table size fish. These attributes shouldbe incorporated into any interventionprogramme for sustainable aquaculture developmentin theregion.

Keywords

• Aquaculture
• Sustainablelivelihood
• Niger-Delta
• production attributes