ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to analyze the impact of adoption of modified drum oven technology on income and Level of Living of Fish Processors in Niger State, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected using questionnaire administered to 320 fish processors in eight (8) LGAs of Niger State. The LGAs were purposively selected because of the intensity of fishing and fish processing activities. The selection was done using a multi stage sampling technique and the data were collected in 2015. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that majority (52%) of the fish processors were male indicating that more men were involved in the processing of fish. About 50% of the fish processors fell between 40 -49 years of age with a mean age of 34 years which indicates that younger people are into modified drum oven fish processing in the study area. Majority (79%) of the fish processors had one form of formal education or the other ranging from Quranic, adult, primary, secondary and tertiary education. Most (78%) of the respondents had between 1 - 3 family members involved in modified drum oven fish processing. Over 56% of the fish processors are members of cooperative organizations. Most (66%) of the fish processors had no access to credit. Most (89%) of the respondents processed an average of 1 - 50 kilograms of fish daily. The result of the Z test showed that the calculated Z value (2665.17) is greater than the table Z value of 1.64 at one tail and 1.96 at two tails respectively and it is significant at 1% probability level. The logit regression model result revealed that with the exception of marital status, level of education, household size, extension contact, membership of cooperative, access to credit and affordability which were not significant, the estimated coefficients for parameters like, age (0.047), experience in fish processing (0.048) and compatibility (0.412) which are significant at 5% probability level, sex (3.448), income (2.256) and processed fish output (2.385) were significant at 1% probability level implying that these factors have significant influence on adoption of modified drum oven fish processing technology. The foremost constraint inhibiting the adoption of improved fish processing technology was inadequate capital. The study revealed that adoption of modified drum oven fish processing technology has an impact on fish processors income and level of living in the study area. Therefore the study recommends that proper sensitization of fish processors by NGOs and other development agencies on group formation and development and also on how the groups can be functional and viable. Research institute should design improved fish processing technologies that are accessible, user friendly and affordable to the fish processors.