Fish marketing as a tool for poverty alleviation among women in Lokoja and Kotonkarfi Local Government Areas of Kogi State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The growing level of unemployment, poverty and hunger in developing countries is still high despite global advances in technology and entrepreneurship development. Fish is known to be the most important food commodity handled by the women of Lokoja and Kokon-Karfi Local Government Areas (LGA) of Kogi State because the area is surrounded by water. The study was conducted to examine the socio-economic characteristics of women involved in marketing, the level of profitability as well as identifying the problems associated with fish marketing. Two markets each in Lokoja and Koton-Kakarfi LG As of Kogi State were used. A well structured interview schedule was used to elicit information from thirty (30) respondents in each L.G.A. Analytical tools used were simple percentages and Benefit cost Ratio. The result showed that 43.3% were within the age range of 31 - 40 years. The Benefit/cost Ratio are 1.20 and 1.22 for Lokoja and Koton-Karfi markets respectively. This shows that fish marketing is profitable, it can be used as a tool for economic empowerment and hence reduction of poverty level among rural women.