AWARENESS AND ADOPTION OF IMPROVED FISH PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES AMONG FISH FARMERS IN OBIO/AKPOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE

Abstract

The study investigated the adoption of improved fish processing technologies in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Multistage sampling technique was used. The first stage was purposive selection of seven (7) communities, while the next stage was snowball sampling technique used to select
10 fish farmers’ from each community to give 70 sample size. Data were collected through structured questionnaire and descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage were used for the analysis. The results revealed that 84.3% of the fish farmers were aware of information on fish processing technologies, and 18.6% of respondents got information on improved fish processing technologies from friends and family members and other fish farmers, respectively. The level of awareness on using charcoal smoking kiln, as improved fish processing, was 42.6%, and the adoption level was 51.5%. The study recommends that extension agents should be consistently trained on fish processing technologies by the subject matter specialists, through the government, and be readily available to disseminate the acquired skill and information to the fish farmers. Available channels of information should be adequately utilized in disseminating fish processing technologies to fish farmers.