Assessment of Constraints and Prospects of Small-Scale Fish Farming in Jega LGA Area of Kebbi State, Nigeria

The survey was conducted to assess the constraints and prospects of small scale fish farming in Jega Local Government Area of kebbi State. Out of the eleven districts in the local government, four were purposively selected based on major dominance of fish farming practice. simple random sampling was used in the distribution of forty-one questionnaires, viz: Magaji A (10), Magaji B (16), Firchin (7), and Kokani (8). Results (table 4.1) shows the distribution of small scale fish farmers across the districts based on their locations in the study area and indicated Magaji B with 39.0%, Magaji A with 24.4%, and then Kokani having 19.5%, while the least was Firchin with 17.0%. It may be assumed that people who are fishermen by tradition and close to a perennial river may find it easier to adopt fish farming. In this case magaji B district has a greater number of small scale fish farmers 39.02%. The problems faced by fish farmers include lack of visitation by fisheries agencies, high cost of feeds, low product prices, high cost of various input, lack of marketing facilities, occurrence of some fish disease and lack of capital or credit facilities. As a recommendation, the local authorities may consider providing loan facilities to fish farmers with low interest rate.