EVALUATION OF THE ECOWAS FUND FOR ACCELERATED ARTISANAL FISH PRODUCTION PROJECT IN DELTA STATE NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study evaluated the ECOWAS fund accelerated artisanal fish production project (EFAAFPP) in Delta State. Primary data for the study were obtained through the use of interview schedule from 120 respondents of artisanal fisher folks (AFFs) while secondary data were obtained from the NACRDB office. Percentage, mean, t-test, chi-square statistics and factor analysis were used in analyzing data. Majority (65.8%) of the respondents were males and married (68.1%). Their mean age was 45.7 years.The study further revealed that fibre glass canoes; canoes, outboard engines, synthetic fishing nets,  ice  boxes,  smoking  kilns,  floaters,  sinkers,  anchors,  and  fishing  accessories  like  knives, lanterns, and hooks were distributed at a total value of  N 97,635,200 to AFFs in Delta State by the NACRDB. Results of the findings showed that the respondents have adopted the following technologies disseminated by extension agents: synthetic fishing nets, smoking kilns, post harvest processing technique, and mending synthetic nets.The identified coping mechanisms used by AFFs during poor harvest and off-season included small scale artisanal fishing ( X  = 2.34); farming ( X =2.26), harvesting of crustaceans ( X = 2.00) and harvesting of bivalves ( X = 2.00). The programme had contributed to the standard of living of AFFs in terms of an increase in their income, household materials possessed, and ease of accessibility to modern fishing inputs. The study further revealed that there was a significant association (Χ² = 68.5; P ≤ 0.05) between the different household materials possessed by AFFs and their participation in the EFAAFPP. A similar significant association (Χ² = 142.8; P ≤ 0.05) was observed between the level of artisanal fishing skills acquired by AFFs and their participation in the intervention. Also there was a significant association (Χ² =

123.4; P ≤ 0.05) between the ease in accessibility to modern fishing inputs by the AFFs and their participation in the programme. Finally a significant association (Χ² = 116.6; P ≤ 0.05) was observed between the participation of AFFs and their knowledge of searching for additional artisanal fishing technologies. The identified major constraints to the effective performance of the EFAAFPP were family problems, environmental problems and extraneous problems. It was recommended that a community based management approach involving all key stakeholders should be introduced in artisanal fishing communities in Delta State to regulate the exploitation of fisheries resources for continued sustainability of all participants who fish within these open waters.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background  Information

Fishing contributes about 5% of the value of agricultural output. It accounts for 20-25% of per capital animal protein in-take, and employs about 8 million people. This makes it an important element in Nigeria’s bid to reduce poverty (Central Bank Nigeria, 2004). In many countries in the developing world, fish represents the single most vital source of animal protein that is affordable by the common man and where ever fish contributes to people’s diets, it provides essential micronutrients, minerals and fatty acids. Fish oils contains Omega-3-fatty acids which have been found to prevent a lot of diseases in humans and are also essential components of cell membrane in infants (Mercola, 2000).

The fishing sector’s contribution to foreign exchange earnings from fish, and shrimps amounted to US$ 50.0 million in 2003 but nonetheless; there was a deficit in the supply of fish and fishery products which was met by importation of US$ 403.5 million dollars worth of fish in the same year (Central Bank Nigeria, 2004).The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reported that global import and export trade in fish and fish products was 61 billion US$ and 55 billion US$, respectively, in 2004, making fish an important commodity in international trade for both developed and developing countries globally (FAO, 2004). The FAO also categorized fishing types as artisanal fishing, aquaculture and industrial fishing (FAO, 2004). Artisanal fishing is small scale fishing and fishermen in this category operate small unmechanized crafts and simple hand operated gears which imply low capital investment on gears, crafts and processing facilities (Dada, 2004). Specifically artisanal fishing provides jobs for different groups of people all over the globe such as the fish processors, traders or marketers, net manufacturers, boat builders, etc. Besides, many are involved in fisheries extension activities (Reynolds, 2004).

An annual field survey by the Federal Department of Fisheries (FDF, 2007) reported that the bulk of fish supply in Nigeria comes from the artisanal fishing sub sector. Both coastal and inland fishing activities supplied the highest volume of fish with an average of 356,200 metric tons caught yearly. There are about 264,601 people on the average that are fully employed in artisanal fishing which makes it an important productive sector of the Nigeria economy. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (FMANR) Department of Fisheries Statistical Data (Table 1) shows the estimated catches in the fishery sector from 2000-2007 and it can be seen that the artisanal fishing sub-sector (artisanal coastal brackish waters and artisanal inland rivers/lakes) accounted for highest catches in all the years when compared to fish farming, industrial fishing and distant water fishing sub-sectors (FDF, 2007).

Fisheries extension activities include gear and net size regulations, provision of information on sources of inputs like out-board engines, fibre glass boats, nylon nets, and improved smoking kilns for processing fish. Others include education on the migration patterns of some targeted pelagic fishes hunted by Artisanal Fisher Folks (AFFs), fish pond construction, fish feed formulation and composition, fisheries management practices and aquaculture for increase   protein availability to AFFs. Extension information is also provided on livelihood enhancement activities in fishing enterprises, sustainability of fisheries resources, and other ancillary businesses or enterprises in fishing communities (Economic Community of West African States; 2006).

Table 1: NIGERIA FISH PRODUCTION BY SECTORS (2000 – 2007) METRIC TONNES

	SECTOR	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
	Artisanal Coastal
	Brackish Waters	418,069.4	433,537	450,965	446.203	434,830	490,594	518,537	504,227
	Artisanal Inland
	Rivers & Lakes	236,801	239,311	253,063	241,823	227,523	259,831	269,878	260,099
	Inland Rivers & Lakes	181,268	194,226	197,902	204,380	207,307	230,763	248,659	244,128
	Aquculture
	Fish Farming	25,720	24,398	30,664	30,677	43,950	56,355	84,533	85,087
	Industrial
	Commercial
	Trawlers	23,308.3	28,378	30,091	33,882	30,421	32,595	33,778	26,193
	Fish
	Inshore Waters	13,877.3	15,792	16,065	17,542	16,063	19,724	19,129	18,040
	Shrimp
	Inshore Waters	8,056	12,380	12,797	11,416	12,489	10,948	13,767	5,995
	Exclusive
	Economic Zone	1,375	206	1,229	4,924	1,889	1,925	882	2,158
	Distant Waters	557,884	648,197	881,152	663,180	648,033	511,520	546,484	739,666

Total                     467,097.7    486,313      511,720     510,762        509,201  579,544     636,848 615,507

Source: FMANR Fisheries Statistical Data 2007.

1.2 Problem Statement

Artisanal fishing is a fish catching operation which is usually carried out with canoes and simple fishing gears. It is characterized by intensive labour, low capital investment, low technology and low productivity. Being a labour intensive fishery, the inputs (gears) used are mainly simple cast nets, hooks, various gillnets, beach seine and traditional traps in both inland and coastal marine waters (Dada, 2004). According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 1992), artisanal fishing is a labour intensive fishing system being conducted by rural fisher folks whose level of income, mechanical sophistication, quantity of  production, range of fishing, political influence, marketing outlets, employment, social mobility, and financial dependence are influenced by the economic decisions and operating constraints placed upon them by customers and the environment they work within. Hence, AFFs comprise of men, women and  youths  who are relatively poor (Martins, Huline and Rutherford, 2002).

It is expected that the National, State and Local Governments play a significant role in eliminating poverty amongst these AFFs and they must be committed to making life better for them. An  enabling  environment  should  be  provided  for  poor  fisher-folks,  who  are  usually  socially excluded and vulnerable while having limited access to productive assets and resources like land. Fisher-folks need to be specifically targeted with infrastructural developmental packages including training  packages,  micro  credit,  inputs,  as  well  as  choices  of  appropriate  fishing  technologies provided through extension. Access to credit and insurance is problematic in most artisanal fishing

communities in addition to increasing stress caused by resource depletion, marine pollution and the general growth of the tourism industry world wide which reduces income in these communities (FAO 1999; FAO, 2000).

Based on the recognition of the importance of the artisanal fishing sector and for the fact that the National, State and Local Governments would not be able to meet all the needs of the AFFs, the intervention of the external agencies can not be over-emphasized. Hence, the establishment of a credit  loan  scheme  by  the  Economic  Community  of  West  African  States  (ECOWAS).  The ECOWAS was founded on May 28 1975 in Lagos Nigeria and the ECOWAS Fund for the Accelerated  Artisanal  Fish  Production  Project  (EFAAFPP)  which  is  just  one  out  of  numerous projects sponsored by the organization was signed in 1990 between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the external agencies (ECOWAS, 2006).

The EFAAFPP is presently being implemented in six states of Nigeria which are Delta, Edo, Ondo, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states. EFAAFPP is being funded in Nigeria by the ECOWAS through   a   credit   loan   number  021/FBD/CA/12/90   which   was   obtained   from   the  African Development Bank (ADB). The loan was released to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) by the ADB through the Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB). On  the instruction  from the FGN,  the loan  was  disbursed  accordingly to  the AFFs  in the six participating states. The loan was disbursed to the AFFs not in cash but in kind, in the form of supply of fishing inputs such as canoes, outboard engines, fishing gears, fish smoking kilns and other fishing accessories including the necessary extension information for effective utilization of the inputs to enhance fishing enterprises and livelihoods in the affected communities. The AFFs who hitherto were unable to secure loans from commercial banks and other borrowers as a result of lack

of collateral security now have access to a reliable loan from the NACRBD (Ahmed, Eyo, and

Usman, 2004; ECOWAS, 2006).

Loans  are  facilitated  through  the  NACRBD  credit  officers  who  collaborate  with  the extension agents working in the artisanal fishing villages. The beneficiaries must be genuine fisher- folks in cooperative organizations and individuals who must have been involved in active fishing for at least six months prior to loan request and documentary or oral evidence should be provided. The genuine AFFs are expected to choose the fishing inputs which are needed from a list provided to them by the bank credit officers and the extension agents. The inputs are then bought and supplied to the AFFs at their fishing communities or villages. Repayment of loans is on monthly installments basis. Sanctions are also imposed on intending defaulters (FDF, 1996).

Delta State which  is one of the six  states currently benefiting from the EFAAFPP has provided credit to the AFFs through the NACRBD in terms of inputs to improve their socio- economic status. The EFAAFPP has also provided solutions to many of the production (harvesting), processing, storage and marketing constraints in the AFFs communities (ECOWAS, 2006). In Delta State, artisanal fishing production ranged between 11,591 to 26,038 metric tones from 1991-2000 and  the  estimated  number  of  AFFs  communities  is  54  (13  coastal  and  41  inland)  while  the population of AFFs is estimated to be 1,980 (FDF, 2004). Extension activities in AFFs communities in the state include gear size regulation; education on modern fishing techniques unlike previous obnoxious methods of fishing practiced in fishing communities, provision of inputs and fishing accessories. The pertinent questions at this juncture are: how did the beneficiaries from Delta State acquire loan from the NACRDB? What were the artisanal fishing innovations disseminated by the extension agents to the AFFs? What are the problems being encountered by the AFFs in adopting the

innovations. What are the general characteristics of the AFFs in the study area? How has the loan contributed to the socio-economic upliftment of AFFs?

1.3     Objective of the study

The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the ECOWAS Fund Accelerated Artisanal

Fish Production Project (EFAAFPP) in Delta State Nigeria. Specifically the study was designed to:

1.  describe the personal characteristics of the AFFs in the study area;

2.  analyze the quantity of artisanal fishing inputs distributed and their values in the three agricultural zones in the state;

3.  determine the adoption levels of the artisanal fishing innovations disseminated through extension services;

4.   identify the favourable coping mechanisms of the AFFs during poor harvest and off-season;

5.   determine the extent to which the programme had contributed to the standard of living of

AFFs; and

6.    identify the major constraints to the effective performance of EFAAFPP in the study area.

1.4       Research hypothesis

1. There is no significant difference between the income of AFFs before and after their participation in the EFAAFPP.

2. There is no significant relationship between AFFs capacity to save part of the generated income and their participation in the programme.

3. There is no significant difference between the household material possession of AFFs before and after their participation in the programme.

1.5       Significance of the study

It is hoped that the findings from this study would be of immense help to agricultural and fisheries extensionists when developing extension strategies in fishing communities. International donor organizations who grant loans to artisanal fisher folks would also know areas and programmes that need urgent intervention from the findings of this study. Commercial banks that are often reluctant to approve loan to AFFs due to numerous uncertainties in fishing enterprises would understand the daily livelihood patterns and socio-economic constraints faced by AFFs and thus develop loan packages to suit the needs. Non-governmental organizations, national governments, and policy makers who design, develop, and implement policies for AFFs including research institutions involved in developing new innovations and collation of statistical data on fish catches would all benefit from the findings because constraints and information identified in the study will be tackled and ameliorated in rural artisanal fishing communities.

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