IMPACT ANALYSIS OF INCLUSIVE FISHERY ACTIVITIES ON FISHERY OUTPUT: CASE STUDY OF KAINJI LAKE BASIN, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study analyzed the impact of inclusive fishery activities on fishery output: case study of Kainji lake basin, Nigeria. Primary data collection covered Kainji lake basin in Niger state, Nigeria. Poisson and Ordinary least squares regression methods was adopted to analyze the relationship between employment, output, savings and income of inclusive artisanal and aquaculture fisheries activity. The finite sample size respondents of 344 artisanal fishers and 275 aquaculture fish farmers were used to establish the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The baseline result shows that inclusive fishery output has significant effect on the area under the study. Statistical significance of the result shows a positive relationship between inclusive fishery output and employment(labour), age of respondents, years of experience and initial capital for artisanal fishery and a similar relationship shows a relationship between output and employment, age of respondents, number of harvest, and number of ponds. The ordinary least squares result shows a positive relationship between savings and income with a variability of 93.52 for artisanal fishers and a variability of 50.11 for aquaculture farmers. Summary statistic shows average years of experience of 6-10 was 42.6%, average marital status of 64%, average maximum employment of 16 respondents, average maximum age of 60year and average maximum years of experience of 15.5year. The study was able to show that there is a positive relationship between income and savings of fishers and a positive impact between inclusive fishery output and employment under the study area. The study suggests amongst other things that the government should pay more attention on inclusive fishery output growth concept which will increase the contribution of inclusive fishery sector to the gross domestic product which will diversify Nigeria’s economy. The government should also provide adequate and basic infrastructure (good roads, pipe borne water, formal education) in the rural area in order to make infrastructures equitable for the rural poor. Productive activities and production output data of inclusive fishery activity should be adequately captured in the annual statistical bulletin. The government should also increase targeted empowerment for fishery respondents.