ANALYSIS OF TRAINING NEEDS OF FISH FARMERS IN IKORODU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the training needs of fish farmers in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State. 80 out of 150 fish farmers currently operating in the Fish Farm Estate, Ikorodu were randomly selected and data was collected with structured interview schedule. Result show that the following practices were practised by farmers in the study area: pond/vats/fibre glass/tank cleaning, water quality maintenance and management, pond fertilisation, brood stock production, spawning, fingerlings sourcing/production, disease prevention, control and management, feed formulation and production/sourcing, record keeping, fish feeding, fish processing, fish storage, fish sorting, pest and predator control, fry care, transfer and feeding, siphoning, and fish transportation. The mean age of the fish farmers was 45±13.0 years with 63.8% being male. Majority (78.8%) were married with mean family size of 4±2. Majority (82.5%) of the farmers had more than twelve years of formal education. The mean farming experience was 8±3 years with average mean income of 1.4 million naira. 58.8% of the farmers had high level of knowledge of the practices. Training was needed in seven out of the seventeen practices thus: pond/vats/fiber glass/tank cleaning, pond fertilization, record keeping, fish feeding, fish sorting, fry care, transfer and feeding, and siphoning. The major constraints to fish production are high cost of feed and lack of capital. It is recommended that training by extension agents should focus on the needs of the farmers.