Achieving the Millennium Development Goals through Fisheries in Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria (Review Article)

T. Kingdom ； J. F. Alfred-Ockiya

《Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences》 1卷2期 (2009/10) Pp. 43-47

並列摘要

This paper reviews fisheries as an important tool in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) in Bayelsa State. Fisheries is recognized as a key instrument for increasing productivity, ensuring food security, improving market access for the rural poor (including women and youth), fortifying persons living with HIV against the susceptibility to secondary diseases, promoting sustainable development and strengthening the local people's performance in global market. However, there are challenges militating against the realization of these goals in Bayelsa State. These include, inter alia, corruption, security challenges, massive pollution and destruction of fishing grounds, absence of well-planned fisheries policy, inadequate, insufficient and untimely supply and high prices of inputs, absence of skilled manpower in sea fishing and absence of effective support services (credit and marketing facilities). For Bayelsa fisheries to play a major role in attaining the MDG's, this paper is therefore recommending that Community - Based Resource Management should be adopted in the management of fisheries in the state; Liberal credit facilities should be provided and existing financial services publicized; well–funded and equipped Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Unit should be established; skippers to man fishing vessels should be trained; fishers should also be trained in proper and hygienic fish handling techniques; an agricultural procurement agency should be established; and a state fisheries/plan policy should be put in place urgently.

並列關鍵字

Millennium development goals ； bayelsa ； fisheries ； Niger Delta and Nigeria