ASSESSMENT OF RURAL CHILDREN’S INVOLVEMENT IN FISHERY ACTIVITIES IN OGUN WATERSIDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51406/jagse.v15i2.1974Keywords:
Fish marketing, Educational activities, Artisanal fishery, Socialization, Child labourAbstract
The study assessed rural children’s involvement in fishery activities in Ogun waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Eighty rural children were sampled from four fishing communities across two wards in the LGA through the use of multistage sampling technique. Data were collected with structured interview schedule. The study identified fishery activities involved in by rural children, determined their level of involvement, identified their educational activities and also identified reasons for children’s involvement in fishery activities. The results indicated that majority of the rural children were male (71.25%) with mean age of 14 years, Christians (61.25%) and had large household sizes between 6 and 10 persons (77.50%).Smoking of fish (96.25%), fish catching (93.75%), firewood gathering (92.5%) and selling of fish (88.75%) were some of the fishery activities involved in by rural children. The study also revealed that high level of involvement was observed with fish processing and fish marketing activities. Despite children’s involvement in fishery activities, their educational activities were not affected. The results of Chi-square analysis also showed significant associations between rural children’s involvement in fishing activities (χ2 = 210.772, p<0.05), fish marketing activities (χ2 = 163.547, p<0.05) and their educational activities. The study concludes that if children’s level of involvement in fishery activities is low, their educational performance will not be affected. It is therefore recommended that children’s involvement in fishery activities should only be tailored towards socializing the children and not for children to be exploited through child labour.
References
production: A strategy for povert alleviation. Journal of Fisheries and Hydro Biology, 1(1): 10-13.
Ajao, A. O., Amao, J. O. and Williams, S. B. (2005).Determinations of technical in efficiency of fish farmer in Oyo State, Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Development, 2(2): 33-39. University of Agriculture, (UNAAB) Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Ajao, A. O., Williams, S. B. and Ajetomobi, J. O. (2004). Technical efficiency of small holder fish farmer for sustainable production in Lagos and Ogun States of Nigeria; A Non-parametric analysis. Journal of Rural Development, U.K., 37(1): 57-68.
Ajenifuya, Y. F., (1998). “Post-independence historical perspectives in fisheries development in Nigeria” Fed. Department Fisheries, Abuja, p. 72.
Arokoyo, I. (1992). How to reach and work with rural Youths.Proceedings of the National Workshop on Extension Strategies for Reaching Rural Youths.
Brandt, A., 1984. Fish Catching Methods of the World.Farhan Surrey, England, Fishing News Books Ltd. pp: 6-9.
Child’s Rights Act – CRA (2003). Federal Republic of Nigeria. 223pp.
Christopher, L. B., Delgado, W., Mark W.R., Siet M., and Mahfuzuddin A. (2003). Fish to 2020: Supply and demand in changing global markets. pp. 10-20. International Food Policy Research Institute and Worldfish Center. Library of congress Cataloging-Publication Data. pp. 1-30.
Federal Department of Fisheries – FDF.(1994). Fisheries Statistics of Nigeria.Federal Department of Fisheries, Pg 49.
Food and Agriculture Organisation – FAO. (2005a). Impact of HIV/AIDS on fishing communities: Policies to Support Livelihoods, Rural Development and Public Health, Rome: FAO.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) (2005b). Review of the state of world fishery resources in 2003: marine fisheries, by Garcia, De Leiva Moreno, I. Grainger, RJR. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 457. Rome.
Hodges, A. (Ed.). (2001). Children’s and women’s rights in Nigeria: A wake-up call. Abuja: National Planning Commission & United Nations Children’s Fund Nigeria.
International LabourOrganization – ILO.(2009): rooting out child labour from cocoa farms paperno.1(a synthesis report of five rapid assessments).
Nieuwenhuys, O. 1994. Children’s Lifeworlds: Gender, Welfare and Labour in the Developing World. London, Routledge .
Staff, A. (1998). Over 60% of those in fishing related activities in west Kenya area kid. Kenya Time.Narobi: Kenya Times Publisher Pg. 12.
UNESCO (2004). Education for All, the Quality Imperative France: UNESCO Publishing Pg. 45.
Wikipedia (2015).Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, Oyo State.Retrieved on April 7, 2015 from www.wikipedia.com/ogun_waterside_local _government_area_oyo_state_nigeria.
