Abstract
This paper investigated awareness and adoption levels of improved smoking oven among fish processors in four fishing communities along Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 153 respondents who were engaged in fish smoking. Data collected using structured interview guides were subjected to descriptive and inferential analyses. Results revealed that majority of the respondents were young, married women with average fish smoking experience of 22.6 years. Majority (90.8%) of them were solely engaged in fish smoking while 9.2% combined fish smoking with other income-generating activities. All the processors used traditional smoking oven (drum, box and mud ovens). More than 66.0% of the fish processors were not aware of improved fish smoking equipment. Lack of awareness, inadequate access to the technologies, low relative advantage and lack of maintenance services and high cost of procurement were responsible for low adoption levels of improved smoking oven. Irregular visits of extension agents to the study area had negative impact on the adoption of improved traditional smoking ovens. Proper dissemination of innovations developed on improved fish processing equipment to the active fish processors in Lagos State using available communication channels is hereby advocated.
Highlights
The global demand for fish as food is increasing due to upsurge in population rise and because it is known as a safe source of animal protein that is widely available and affordable for all regardless of the socioeconomic status (Olaoye et al, 2015)
Majority (77.8%) of the respondents are able-bodied and agile young women who were below the age of 50 years thereby possess the physical strength to sustain rigorous and arduous tasks required in fish processing
The results revealed that majority (90.8%) of the fish processors were exclusively into fish processing on a full-time basis while 8.5% and 0.7% were part-time and occasional fish processors, respectively
Summary
The global demand for fish as food is increasing due to upsurge in population rise and because it is known as a safe source of animal protein that is widely available and affordable for all regardless of the socioeconomic status (Olaoye et al, 2015). The amino acid profile, low cholesterol content, numerous vitamin and mineral contents as well as fatty acid profile makes fish stand out among all the sources of animal protein (Olaoye et al, 2015). Sci. 55 (2), 39 – 58 methods often employed (either singly or in combination) by artisanal fish processors, fish smoking (curing process) remains the most common and cheapest processing method in most developing countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, to mention a few (George et al, 2014; Olaoye et al, 2015; Sakyi et al, 2019)
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