Production Efficiency of Fish Farming in Ibadan-Ibarapa Zone of Oyo State, Nigeria.

This study investigates fish farming productivity by estimating the level of technical efficiency for a sample of fish farmers in Ido and Oluyole local government. Data was obtained from the respondents through a well structured questionnaires and interview schedule. In this study, a total of 60 fish farmers were selected using multistage sampling techniques. Descriptive statistical tools were used to analyze the socio economic characteristics of the farmers and constraints facing them. Gross margin analysis was used to analyze costs and return. DEA analysis was used to determine their efficiency, while tobit regression model was used to analyse determinants of efficiency. The study revealed that about 68.3% chose fish farming as their minor occupation, 63.3% engaged in fish farming for family consumption, 86.7% did it for sales. 70% have 1-5 years of fish farming experience, 66.67% have 1-10 years of farming experience, 75% operated only 1 pond each. 40% of the respondents acquire their land through inheritance, 46.7% used earthen pond, 76.7% are members of cooperative society and 66.7% had no access to credit. The finding shows that fish farming was profitable with net farm income of N374100.09 per fish farmers in the study area. Majority of the fish farmers are relatively technical efficient in their use of resources with mean technical efficiency of 84.9%, 89.0%, 95.5%, under CRS, VRS, and SE respectively. Farmers’ sex and fish farming experience had inverse relationship with the efficiency of fish farming in the study areas, farmers’ age had direct relationship under both CRS and VRS, while access to credit had direct relationship with efficiency under SE specification. The analysis shows a slack of 4.184kg, 2,972.091m,2,411.008kg, N112,119.49 and 2,284.597; in fish output, pond size, feed, labour and number of fingerlings respectively. Major problem facing the fish farmers were limited access to credit, marketing, transportation and access to quality feed. The study therefore concluded that measures should be taken to improve technical efficiency, in order to bridge the gap between fish demand and supply, to bring about self sufficiency in fish production.