Aquaculture America 2021

August 11 - 14, 2021

San Antonio, Texas

FRESHWATER AQUACULTURE BUSINESS IN NIGERIA: PERSPECTIVES, PROCESS, AND PROSPECTS FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

 
 Omolola  C. Betiku *
 
College of Agriculture and Food Sciences
 Florida A&M University
 Tallahassee,  FL 32307
omolola.betiku@famu.edu
 

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing animal food-producing industry in the world. The annual supply from inland aquaculture increased from 38.6 million tons in 2011 to 51.4 tons in 2016. Freshwater aquaculture in Nigeria mirrored the same trend as the world, particularly in catfish farming. Despite the potentials for a successful aquaculture business in Nigeria, imported fish food is the primary source of animal protein to Nigerians because of a shortfall in domestic supplies. Currently, about 80% of the aquaculture business workforce in Nigeria is women, and the youth population with a 13.96% unemployment rate has low participation in aquaculture. For the aquaculture business to reach its full potentials in Nigeria, aquaculture operators must expand beyond the aged farmers to include the youth population, which are characterized as notable change agents for economic growth and development. Strategies to address the perspectives, recruit and retain, and the prospect to marry the existing workforce and resources with the anticipated growth should be implemented to empower the youth through freshwater aquaculture business in Nigeria.