Economics of catfish hatchery farmers and its contribution to household poverty alleviation in Nigeria

Fish and fisheries products are considered as one of the most substantial parts of Nigeria economy. Demand for these products is on the high side due to the rapid growth of human population, changes in lifestyle and eating habits. Fishery is thus serving as a source of employment, income generation and food security. This paper made use of the data gathered from the farm and household levels to analyse the economics of catfish hatchery farming and its contribution to household poverty alleviation in Oyo and Osun States, Southwest Nigeria, using profitability analyses, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke index and Tobit regression models. The findings indicate that fish hatchery farming is profitable, altough 43.1% of fish hatchery farmers interviewed were above the poverty line. Thus, the enterprise significantly (p < 0.05) reduced poverty in the study area. Furthermore, the effects of socioeconomic variables, gender, education level, and framing experience (p < 0.01); marital status and household size (p < 0.1); labour employed, hatchery units, quality of fish seed produced and membership of cooperative society (p < 0.05) indicating several interactions between poverty and the variables analysed. In conclusion, policy makers, government and non-governmental organisation should give the enterprise adequate attention and support as this could be adopted in lifting the country from poverty.