ASSESSMENT OF URBAN WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN FISH FARMING ENTERPRISE IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Women are key players in agribusiness, especially in urban centers, yet they are the most vulnerable gender. Therefore,
this study assessed urban women's participation in fish farming enterprise in Oyo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage
sampling procedure was used to select 234 female women fish farmers from the four agricultural zones of Oyo State
using questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, likert scale and multiple regression model.
Majority of the respondents were educated, married and in their prime age with mean fish farming experience and
household size of 14 years and 9 persons respectively. The result also indicated that lime application (2.52) was the
main fish framing activity participated in followed by feeding of fish (2.51), record keeping (2.39) and harvesting
(2.33). Multiple regression estimates revealed that age, farming experience, educational qualification, household size
and source of income were the significant (P>0.01) socio-economic parameters affecting the level of women's
participation in fish farming enterprise in the study area. The study recommend that urban women should be provided
with capital in form of credit/loan with flexible means of repayment and affordable interest rates so as to motivate
other women to embrace fish framing.