Analysis of Fish Value Chain for Nutrition Security in Esan West Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study explored the value chain for fish nutrition security in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. Using questionnaire, Data was sought from75 fish farmers. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that more than half of the fish farmers were males accounting for (53.3%) and females (46.7%), had high level of education with 58% having obtained university degree and married 57.3%.  And 72.1% of the farmers had less than 5 years’ experience. Catfish business was mainly full-time accounting for 58.7% of the farmers. Constraints faced are marketing competition, cost of transportation, time problem, and lack of modern technologies, labour scarcity and high cost of materials. It was recommended that catfish farmers should form co-operatives society to alleviate the problem of marketing competition and that of high cost of materials. Private and government organizations should encourage the youths to engage in catfish production in other to reduce labour scarcity, government and private organizations should provide modern technologies to catfish farmers to reduce time wastage and lastly, regular training programmes, workshops, seminars and other enlightenment programmes should be organized for catfish farmers to equip them with the techniques needed in catfish production.