EXAMINING AQUACULTURE RENAISSANCE IN AKWA IBOM STATE: A PROMISING MEANS OF SUSTAINING THE LOCAL ECONOMY

ABSTRACT: The main focus of this study is to assess the aquaculture renaissance in Akwaibom State as a veritable tool for sustaining the local economy. The study further discussed the economic importance of aquaculture, ascertain factors influencing the intensity of fish farming , investigated  ways to develop the  aquaculture sector in Nigeria.The research adopted the survey descriptive design and with the aid of convenience sampling method, the researcher conveniently selected eighty (80) enlightened participant who are fish farmers in  Ibaka and Oron  in  fishing communities Akwa ibom State. Self- structure questionnaire was issued to the respondent of which  seventy-seven (77) responses were retrieved and validated for the study. The study made use of of descriptive analysis and inferential statistics where data from field survey was analyzed using simple percentage, mean and standard deviation presented in frequencies and tables. Hypothesis test was conducted using Chi-Square Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v.23).Findings of the study revealed that Aquaculture renaissance a veritable tool for sustaining the local economy  in Akwaibom state: It creates room for employment opportunities as as labor is required to maintain the pools and harvest the organisms grown, it provides both new products for a market thus contributes to social resilience. it serves as the main source of cheap protein to combat malnutrition and under-nutrition and generates food for the producer's household and as well ameliorate poverty rate. The study also revealed that  factors influencing the intensity of fish farming in Akwaibom State farming experience, educational level,  number of ponds owned and labour, start-up capital, pond size and feed. The study recommends that  coastal local government areas of Akwa Ibom State should embrace aquaculture and encourage more investments in fish production and also Credit facilities  should be made accessible to fish farmers and prospective ones