PERCEPTION OF IMPACT OF DONOR AGENCIES ON THE SOCIOECONOMIC WELLBEING OF FISHER FOLKS IN SOUTHEAST NIGERIA

Abstract

The study evaluated the overall influence of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) fisheries intervention on the socio-economic wellbeing of fisher folks in Akwa Ibom State, southeast Nigeria, using bi-polar and transformed five-point likert scales. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to ++++select 220 beneficiaries, resident in five IFAD-intervention recipient coastal fishing settlements from five benefiting Local Government Areas in the State. The beneficiaries/respondents were mostly women (63.3%), had at least primary education (39.90%), households of 4-7 members, married (63.36%) and aged between 34 and 55 years (79.80%). The beneficiaries’ perception revealed multidimensional aspects of wellbeing; what one respondent considered as important indicator of wellbeing may be different from the other. Results revealed affective and high utilization of IFAD intervention among beneficiaries. The beneficiaries reported high utilization of scarce facilities. This high level of utilization abdicates that the intervention contributed adequately to the socioeconomic wellbeing of respondents. The change in wellbeing of the beneficiaries was short-lived, most of who still lived in poor accommodation (huts = 40.37%) and depend on kerosene lamp (60.55%) for lighting. Over 56.9% of respondents depended on well water as their source of drinking water while 56.40% depended on local chemist shop for healthcare treatment. The study posits that wellbeing has several dimensions; hence, interventions in fisher folk communities should be intensive, broad and multidimensional in approach. It is possible that with repeated research and continual intervention over a ten year period visible socio-economic improvements could be effected.