Enhancing fish farmers’ welfare through digital agricultural innovation platforms: Evidence from Nigeria

Year 2024, Volume: 61 Issue: 3, 273 - 283, 18.09.2024

Abraham Falola , Ridwan Mukaila , Adetunji Olanrewaju , Omolola Nafisat Yekeen , Festus Awoyelu , Ibrahim Isaac Umaru

https://doi.org/10.20289/zfdergi.1414757

Abstract

Objective: Despite the potential of digital innovation platforms to improve farmers’ welfare its adoption is low due to scanty empirical evidence on the subject matter. Therefore, this study examined the contribution of digital innovation platforms to fish farm output and income in Nigeria.
Material and Methods: Data gathered from 187 catfish farmers were analysed using descriptive statistics and t-tests.
Results: The results revealed that digital innovation platform provides credit facilities to fish farmers to boost their production activities. Before fish farmers adopted the digital innovation platform, they stocked an average of 733.12 fingerlings, which increased to 952.83 fingerlings after adopting digital innovation. Also, the adoption of digital innovation platforms significantly increased fish farm output from 742.28 kg to 1,057.81 kg. Fish farmers’ revenue from fish farming consequently increased from N540,905.11 Nigerian Naira(USD 1,307.01) to N780,444.98 Nigerian Naira(USD 1,885.82) after adopting the digital innovation. Therefore, the adoption of digital innovation significantly increased farm output and income by 42.51% and 44.29%, respectively.
Conclusion: Digital innovation platforms significantly improved farmers’ welfare. Based on this, this study advocates that fish farmers should be encouraged to adopt digital innovation platforms by creating awareness and providing more funds through digital innovation platforms.

Keywords

Digital agricultural innovation, fish farming, revenue, welfare, yield

Yenilikçi dijital tarım uygulamaları aracılığıyla balıkçıların refahının artırılması: Nijerya örneği

Abstract

Amaç: Dijital inovasyon platformlarının çiftçilerin refahını artırma potansiyeline rağmen, konuyla ilgili ampirik kanıtların yetersiz olması nedeniyle benimsenmesi düşüktür. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmada dijital inovasyon platformlarının Nijerya'daki balık çiftliği üretimine ve gelirine katkısı incelenmiştir.
Materyal ve Yöntem: 187 yayın balığı çiftçisinden toplanan veriler, tanımlayıcı istatistikler ve t-testleri kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir.
Araştırma Bulguları: Sonuçlar, dijital inovasyon platformunun, balık çiftçilerine üretim faaliyetlerini artırmaları için kredi kolaylığı sağladığını ortaya koymuştur. Balık çiftçileri dijital inovasyon platformunu benimsemeden önce ortalama 733,12 yavru balık stoklarken; bu rakam dijital yeniliği benimsedikten sonra 952,83 yavruya yükselmiştir. Ayrıca dijital inovasyon platformlarının benimsenmesi, balık çiftliği üretimini 742,28 kg'dan 1.057,81 kg'a anlamlı bir şekilde artırmıştır. Balık çiftçilerinin balık yetiştiriciliğinden elde ettiği gelir, dijital yeniliği benimsedikten sonra 540.905,11 Nijerya Nairası’ndan (1.307,01 ABD Doları) 780.444,98 Nijerya Nairası'na (1.885,82 ABD Doları) yükselmiştir. Dolayısıyla, dijital inovasyonun benimsenmesi, çiftlik üretimini ve gelirini sırasıyla %42,51 ve %44,29 oranında önemli ölçüde artırmıştır. .
Sonuç: Dijital inovasyon platformları çiftçilerin refahını önemli ölçüde artırmıştır. Buna göre, bu çalışma, farkındalık oluşturmak ve dijital inovasyon platformları aracılığıyla daha fazla fon sağlayarak balık çiftçilerinin dijital inovasyon platformlarını benimsemeye teşvik edilmesi gerektiğini savunmaktadır.

Keywords

Dijital tarımsal inovasyon, balık yetiştiriciliği, gelir, refah, verim

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