Assessment of Attitude of Artisanal Fish Farmers Towards the Utilization of Hatchery Production Technologies in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the attitude of artisanal fish farmers towards hatchery production technologies in Ondo State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 90 respondents, selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data analysis involved frequency counts, percentages, and correlation analysis. Findings revealed that 71.1% of respondents were male, while 51.1% were under 40 years old, with a mean age of 43 years. Most farmers (81.2%) had 1–5 years of experience, with an average of five years. The study found that the utilization of hatchery production technologies was relatively high, possibly due to high educational attainment among farmers. Correlation analysis indicated significant relationships between technology utilization and socio-economic factors such as age (P=0.000), sex (P=0.002), marital status (P=0.023), religion (P=0.001), years of experience (P=0.000), income (P=0.000), and farm size (P=0.000). These factors significantly influenced technology adoption. The study concluded that respondents had a favorable attitude toward hatchery technologies. It recommended reintroducing and popularizing underutilized technologies among fish farmers. Regular training and empowerment programs should be implemented to enhance adoption rates. Additionally, environmental pollution in the study area should be effectively managed to improve hatchery productivity and sustainability.