AQACULTURE AS A JOB CREATOR AMONG SMALL SCALE FARMERS - The National Association of Nigerian Traders NANTS

Fish farming or aquaculture is an integral part of the overall agricultural production system in Nigeria. Though not quite popular, the sector contributes about 3% of agriculture GDP.1 Fish is a very important source of animal protein for both man and livestock, implying that the production of fish can be a very important source of income, employment, and recreation for people around the world. Ironically, agriculture in developing countries emphasizes more on crop and livestock, whereas the aquaculture subsector which is somewhat neglected, offers equivalent potentials in solving the problems of hunger, malnutrition, poverty and unemployment.

 The word aquaculture describes the cultivation of freshwater and saltwater populations (especially fish) under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with artisanal fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish (online dictionary, 2014). Unlike harvesting from the wild, aquaculture requires deliberate human involvement in the life and care of the fish which is expected to result in yields that exceed those from the natural environment. Such interventions will include: stocking water with seed (fingerlings or juveniles), fertilizing the water, feeding the fish, maintaining the water quality and other things as the case may be.