Project Abstract

Project Overview

<p> <b></b></p><p><b><b>INTRODUCTION</b></b></p><p><b><b></b></b></p><b><b><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; BACKGROUND OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Agriculture<br>is the major economic activity of developing economies. In Nigeria, agriculture<br>provides food for the increasing population; supplies adequate raw materials to<br>growing industrial sector; is a major source of employment; generates foreign<br>exchange earnings; and provides market for the products of the industrial<br>sector (Okumadewa, 1997; World Bank, 1998; Winters, Janvry, Sadoulet and<br>Stamoulis, 1998; Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO (2006) as cited in Eze,<br>Lemchi, Ugochukwu, Eze, Awulonu and Okon 2010).</p><p>Fish<br>is a very important agricultural product in the country as it occupies a prime<br>place in the economy of the country. The term fish is a diverse group of animal<br>that live and breathe in water by means of gill. Fish is one of the most diverse<br>groups of animals known to man with over two thousand five hundred species.<br>There are more species of fish than all other vertebrate (Eyo, 1992).</p><p>Fish<br>is a very important agricultural product in Nigeria, and is largely consumed in<br>the country especially due to its rich nutritional and medicinal values. More<br>so, the large coastal area and continental shelf available in the country makes<br>diverse varieties available in different areas at affordable prices.</p><p>Marketing<br>of fresh fish passes through several market participants and exchange points<br>before they reach the final consumers. The marketing system and structure is<br>one of the main circumstances of socio economic condition of the local people<br>and production system of any area (Alam et al., 2010). It is a chain of<br>different systems involved in the marketing from production to consumer with<br>intra-linkages and inter-linkages.</p><p>At<br>various stages in the marketing chain, fish has to be packed and un-packed,<br>loaded and un-loaded to meet consumer demand. Each handling cost will not<br>amount so much but the sum total of all loading can be significant, depending<br>on the length of chain (Ali et al., 2008).</p><p>Subsequently,<br>a greater difference in price paid between urban consumers at the end of the<br>chain and river bank price at the beginning of the chain can lead to a greater<br>or wider market margin between the producer and the final consumer. However,<br>when the market margin is high, it may be used to argue that producers or<br>consumers are being exploited. Nonetheless, high margin cannot be completely<br>justified (Ali et al., 2008).</p><p>Fish<br>supply and marketing suffer so many obstacles ranging from shortage of supply,<br>price fluctuation and spoilage in transit. Despite these, the people involved<br>in the marketing of the fresh fish appear to be on the increase because of<br>increase in the population and therefore, the demand tends to be high and<br>increase in concentration implies more scope for the middlemen to exploit<br>either the consumers by charging high or the producers by paying them lower<br>price (Tomek and Robinson, 1981).</p><p>Olukosi<br>and Isitor (1990) opined that marketing margin is an important indicator of<br>market performance. Usually, the middlemen performing the role of marketing are<br>being accused of earning higher profits in the marketing system (Bryceson,<br>1993).</p><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; STATEMENT<br>OF THE PROBLEM </b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The increase in fish consumption as a<br>good source of protein and its cultural and religious acceptability are an<br>indication that fish culturists must live up to expectation of meeting the local<br>demand.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Efficiency in fish marketing has the<br>potentials of stimulating fish production in the country in view of the huge<br>deficit between local consumption and production. This might have a downward<br>effect on the price of fish and thereby induce more consumption of fish by<br>consumers. Another problem could be that there are no many persons in the area<br>of fish production let alone the marketing part of it. For the establishment of<br>farm, certain equipments or tools are needed; but in a situation whereby all<br>these equipment are not in place, it can possibly lead to neglecting that<br>aspect of farming either by individual or by the government. It could also be<br>that there is little or no expert on fish farming. Finally, several researches<br>has been carried out on the economics of fish marketing in Nigeria but not even<br>a single research has been carried out on the analysis of marketing efficiency of<br>fish production in Lagos state.</p><p><b>1.3 &nbsp; AIMS<br>AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The<br>main aim of the study is to analyse marketing efficiency of fish production.<br>Other specific objectives of the study include;</p><p>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the factors affecting<br>marketing efficiency of fish production in Lagos state.</p><p>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the effect of marketing efficiency<br>on fish production in Lagos state.</p><p>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the extent to which marketing<br>efficiency affects fish production in Lagos.</p><p>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the factors affecting fish<br>production in Lagos</p><p>5. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to proffer possible solutions to the<br>problems.</p><p><b>1.4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</b><b>RESEARCH QUESTIONS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>1 &nbsp; &nbsp; What are<br>the factors affecting marketing efficiency of fish production in Lagos state?</p><p>2 &nbsp; &nbsp; What is<br>the effect of marketing efficiency on fish production in Lagos state?</p><p>3 &nbsp; &nbsp; What is<br>the extent to which marketing efficiency affects fish production in Lagos?</p><p>4 &nbsp; &nbsp; What are the factors affecting fish<br>production in Lagos?</p><p>5 &nbsp; &nbsp; What are the possible solutions to the problems?</p><p><b>1.5 &nbsp; STATEMENT<br>OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>H0:<br>There is no significant relationship between fish production and profitability</p><p>H1:<br>There is significant relationship between fish production and the profitability.</p><p><b>1.6 &nbsp; SIGNIFICANCE<br>OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The study on analysis marketing<br>efficiency of fish production will be of immense benefit to the entire Lagos<br>state in the sense that it will enable the government to train or empower more<br>people to be involved in this part of agricultural production (fish production),<br>the government will also fund fish farming and also and availability of<br>marketing tools for a convenient marketing; this is because fish production in<br>Nigeria is not only important as a source of rich protein, but it also can be<br>used to bring about institutional changes. These changes can offer access to<br>production assets and resources which can help to empower the poor and directly<br>promote their livelihoods. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of<br>existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further<br>research.</p><p><b>1.7 &nbsp; SCOPE<br>OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The study on analysis of marketing efficiency<br>of fish production is limited to Lagos State.</p><p><b>1.8 &nbsp; LIMITATION<br>OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Financial constraint</b>–<br>Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing<br>for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of<br>data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Time constraint</b>–<br>The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic<br>work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research<br>work.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.9 &nbsp; DEFINITION<br>OF TERMS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Analysis</b>&nbsp; Detailed examination of the elements or structure of<br>something.</p><p><b>Marketing</b>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Is the activity, set of<br>institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and<br>exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and<br>society at large.</p><p><b>Efficiency</b>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The state or quality of being<br>efficient.</p><p><b>Fish</b><br><b>Production</b>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The farming of the fishes for the commercial use like<br>food products in an area is called as <em>Fish production</em>&nbsp;or<br>fish farming.</p></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b> <br><p></p>