Constraints Limiting the Effective Utilization of Low-Cost Fish Processing Technologies among Women in Selected Fishing Communities of Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Constraints limiting the effective utilization of low-cost fish processing technologies among women in selected fishing communities of Lagos State, Nigeria were examined in this study. Ninety-six fish processors were purposively selected as sample size for this study. Chi-square analysis was used for the hypothesis testing in this study to examine the association between constraints and utilization. The mean age of the respondents was 37.8 years, 49.0% had primary school education and 77.1% got skills from their parents. Majority of the respondents did not utilize galvanized smoking kiln (92.7%) and smoking chokor (69.8%). High cost of processing equipment (2.75), poor electricity supply (2.74), poor awareness creation and capacity building (2.72) and inadequate extension support (2.67) as the major problems limiting the utilization of low-cost fish processing technologies in the study area. Result of chi-square presented reveals that significant relationship existed between constraints and utilization of low-cost fish processing technologies at p<0.05 level of significance. It is therefore recommended that effort should be geared towards awareness creation and public enlightenment to promote adoption of low-cost fish processing technologies in the study areas.