Economic Analysis of Small Scale Fish Pond Production in Oguta, Imo State, Nigeria

This study examined the socio-economic factors affecting fish farming enterprises along shores of Oguta Lake in Imo State, Nigeria. The study was guided by the following research questions: what are the socio-economic characteristics of the small-scale farmers? What constitutes the attitude of farmers towards fish production along the shores Oguta Lake? What are the costs and returns of small-scale fishpond enterprises? What problems hinder the development of small-scale fishpond production? Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaires and interviews. Descriptive statistics, gross margin and likert scale were employed in data analysis. Gross margin analysis showed that average fish farmers made N176, 100 per production cycle of 10 months, an indication that fish farming is a lucrative venture in the study area. Majority of the farmers were male, married, educated and on full-time farming, with household size of 1 to 3 and average pond holding capacity of 0.1ha. The fish farmers showed positive response towards fish production at the bank of Oguta Lake. It was therefore recommended that government provide the traditional support to encourage the small-scale private operators, especially in the area of land acquisition, pond construction and input sourcing. Keywords: Fishpond, small-scale fish farming, land acquisition, Oguta Lake, Nigeri