Roles of Information and Communications Technologies in Improving Fish Farming and Production in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Abstract The study examined the roles of ICTs for improved fish farming and production in Rivers State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to ­- describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the responding fish farmers in the area; identify ICT devices used by respondents in the area; examine fish farming/production information needs of respondents; ascertain ICT roles in promoting fish farming and production in the study area; and identify problems of ICTs use by fish farmers in the study area. Multi stage sampling technique was adopted in sample selection. Data were collected with use of questionnaire and interview schedule. The sample size was 150 fish farmers randomly selected from a list of 1500 registered ICT user fish farmers obtained from fish farmers cooperative office in Andoni, headquarters of Zone II. Data were analyzed using descriptive tools such as percentages, presented in tabular forms. Majority, (43.3%) were 41-50 years with a mean age of 42.5 years, 91.3% were males, 76% were married, 63.3% had a family size of 1-4 people. Majority (56%) had secondary education, 50.6% had between 21-30 years in fishing experience. ICT devices used includes mobile phones, radio, television, internet, journals and magazines among. Fish farmers needed information on pond construction, sources of fingerlings, sales and marketing, diseases treatment, weather/temperature an many more. ICTs play the following roles in fish farming: information exchange, knowledge sharing, promotion of education, monitoring illegal fishing and price information provisioning. The challenges facing them includes high cost of device, low level of education, power supply, network problem among others. It was recommended that education and training be given to the farmers by the extension agents, power supply and network services should be improved the various bodies responsible for the service