Media Use Pattern of Fish Farmers in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State

Abstract

It is of no doubt that fish farming has great potential in solving the problems of protein deficiency, malnutrition, hunger and food insecurity and increased fish production will help combat these devastating problems facing the majority of the rural poor in the country. This study examined the media use pattern of fish farmers in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State. The study employed a multi- stage sampling technique to select 80 farmers for the study and the data for the study was obtained through the use of a well-structured interview schedule and data obtained was analysed using both descriptive statistics such as frequency count, percentage and mean and inferential statistical tools such as Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi-square. Results of the socioeconomic characteristics shows that 36.3% of the respondents were less than 40 years of age while 23.7% were between the age ranges of 45-49 years and 23.7% of the respondents were 50 years and above while only 16.3% of the respondents were between the age ranges of 40-44 years. Also, 58.8% of the respondents were male 65% of the respondents were married and 48.8% of the respondents have a household size of 9 persons. Also, 58.8% of the respondents were Muslims while 56.3% have tertiary education and 41.2% of the respondents have fish farming experience of between 5-9 years. The result further shows that 93.7% of the respondents have pond size of between 1-2ha while 55% of the respondents were members of social organization, 81.2% of the respondents have access to credit facilities and 72.5% of the respondents in the study area have a stocking ratio of between 1000-5000 fishes per ponds. Similarly, 46.3% utilized concrete pond for rearing of fish while 48.8% utilized hired labour, 53.7% of the farmers have contact with agricultural extension agents and 22.5% of the respondents were visited on a monthly basis by the extension agents. Furthermore, 63.8% obtained fish farming information from the television, 62.5% from the radio, 61.3% from the internet and 57.5% from print media, 51.3% from extension agents while 98.7% of the respondents in the study area obtained needed information from all the available sources and 96.2% of the respondents have access to fish farming information. Also 25% of the respondents preferred fish farming information from the radio, 22.5% preferred the information from the television, 18.7% preferred the information from the newspaper, 13.8% preferred the information from mobile phone while 85% of the respondents have access to a functioning television set, 90% of respondents from have access to a functional radio set while 66.2% of the respondents have access to a functional mobile phone and 50% of the respondents have access to print media while 77.5% practiced monoculture system of fish farming. The result of chi-square analysis performed shows that there was significant relationship between level of education (X2= 12.24; p < 0.05), contact with extension agent (X2= 6.89; p < 0.05) and membership of social organisation (X2= 6.62; p < 0.05) and media use pattern of the fish farmers. . Further analysis carried out shows that there was significant relationship between age(r=0.445), years of fish farming experience(r=0.386), pond size(r=0.268) and stocking ratio(r=0.182) and media use pattern of the fish farmers. It was recommended that the government should employed more extension agents with improved welfare packages in order for them to effectively respond to the fish farmers’ needs